THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 241 



this paper, I must say that the whole of the Lobelias ought to have 

 the soil made much richer in which they are to be planted than it 

 generally is. 



The Viola rage will be pretty well subsided by the end of this 

 season. Everywhere that I have been, Viola cornuta is what may be 

 correctly termed a failure. It was very good through a month of 

 the early part of the season, and now that the other bedders are at 

 their best, this is gone off; but for those who still retain a lingering 

 fancy for them, the white variety, V. cornuia alia, offered by E. G. 

 Henderson and Son, will be considered an acquisition. In size and 

 shape of flower, and habit of growth, this is exactly like the blue 

 kind, the only difference being in the colour of the flowers, which is 

 pure white. Cuttings of this under a handlight, or in a cold frame, 

 will root freely, and it will require plenty of manure in the beds to 

 grow it well. 



TrojpcBolums are amongst the most valuable plants we have for 

 summer bedding, especially where the soil is naturally dry, and 

 manure scarce, for they will thrive and flower well where scarcely 

 anything else will live. There have been several grand additions 

 made to this family this season. Eirst and foremost on my list I 

 shall place Messrs. E. and A. Smith's Mrs. Treadwell. It has a fine 

 compact dwarf branching habit, neat dark green foliage, with rich 

 orange-crimson flowers, which are about two inches in diameter, of 

 fine substance and shape ; one of the best that has been oftered for a 

 long time. Crystal Falace Ferfecfion, of Messrs. Carter and Co., 

 High Holborn, is also good ; the flowers are abundantly produced, 

 and of a bright orange-scarlet colour. Messrs. E. Gr. Henderson and 

 Son's, Star of Fire deserves its name, for it is a fine dwarf grower, 

 smothered with flowers of a brilliant orange-scarlet colour. The 

 cuttings of these should be put in early, to enable them to get 

 thoroughly rooted before winter. They require to be kept rather dry 

 through the winter months, otherwise there is a danger of their 

 damping off. Spring is the best time for propa gating Tropseolums, 

 but a few must be struck in the autumn, to work from. 



So many new kinds of Coleus have been brought forward, that 

 unless any one is well acquainted with them, it is a difficult matter 

 to make a selection. Eor bedding purposes I shall put down 

 C. Bauseiy of Yeitch ; Supreme, of Bull ; Hendersc ti, of Henderson ; 

 and Marshalli and the Golden Coleus, G. Telfordi aurea, of Wimsett, 

 as the most likely to be the very best of the whole lot. Several are 

 as deeply coloured as the Perilla Nankinensis, and liked by some 

 horticulturists for that reason. To my mind, this is not the colour 

 we want in them for bedding, as we already have it in the Perilla, 

 which is much hardier, and a stock can be got up with less trouble. 

 We want the rich crimson colour of C. Verscliajfelti to make effec- 

 tive bedders. C. Veitchii is good as a pot plant, but remarkably 

 poor when planted out, though it grows freely ei^oiigh. The Coleus 

 can only be kept through the winter by those \\ho have the advan- 

 tage of a small stove, or something of that kind, where a little 

 warmth is maintained. The great danger is in keeping them too 

 wet. When they are at rest, only sufficient water should be applied 

 YOL. III. — ]S0. YIII. 16 



