20 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



trouble with the bedding geraniums than with any other class of plants, 

 not excepting even Roses and Dahlias. There are so many, aud the 

 shades of difference between certain favourites are exceedingly few, and 

 I, being excessively fond of these plants, might easily be led to recom- 

 mend a larger number than would be consistent with the plan of the 

 work, which is to guide cultivators to a few of the best in all the classes, 

 and not to many of any kind. That I have entered only fifty-six in all 

 may be some satisfaction to those readers who are always crying out 

 against lengthy enumerations of varieties that are pronounced " indis- 

 pensable." In that batch of fifty-six will be found Adonis, Marvel, 

 Stella, Madame Yauolier, Dr. Lindley, Lucisn Tisserand, Hoi d'ltalie, 

 Helen Lindsay, Madame Budersdorf ; and for variegates, Flower of 

 Spring, Silver Chain, Bijou, Alma, Mrs. Lennox, Mountain of Snow, 

 Shottesham Pet, and Flower of the Day. I name these here for two 

 reasons — first, to furnish those who do not possess the " Oracle" with 

 the names of a few that I consider the finest established varieties, and 

 next for the purpose of saying that I do not believe one of them will be 

 displaced or eclipsed by any of the new varieties to be sent out in 1865. 

 I find in the " Oracle" a list of fifty-eight new varieties to be sent out 

 during the coming spring, namely, forty-four single flowering scarlet, rose, 

 white, etc., three double-flowering scarlets, and eleven with variegated 

 leaves. The most enthusiastic cultivator of geraniums will not care to 

 orderthewhole batch of fifty-eight, and discover for himself their respective 

 merits and demerits, in order to know which to destroy and which to keep 

 when the season once more closes. Having examined every one of the 

 varieties described, with the exception of three only, and having 

 cultivated during more than one season many of them, in order to 

 put them to the proof before they were submitted to public notice, 

 I shall point out to intending purchasers those which are most likely 

 to justify the moderate expenditure necessary for obtaining them. 



Let us look first for the most distinct geranium to be found amongst 

 the novelties, and we have it in Amy Hogg, a demi-nosegay raised by 

 the late Mr. Beaton, and now in the possession of Mr. "William Paul, 

 of "Walt ham Cross. In the round of bedding plants, Purple King 

 verbena is almost the only plant to be relied upon for its own parti- 

 cular colour — good, purples are, in fact, scarce. If petunias had more 

 substance, and could endure cold seasons as well as hot ones, there 

 would be no difficulty about purples and shades of purple. But in 

 our present circumstances, a robust habited demi-nosegay geranium 

 with purple flowers is a boon of almost priceless value. Let it not be 

 supposed that the colour of Amy Hogg is similar to that of Purple 

 King verbena ; it is nothing of the sort ; that valuable plant is men- 

 tioned only to indicate by its splendour the general poverty of the 

 section of bedders (classing them by colour) to which it belongs. 

 Amy Hogg may be described as brilliant purplish rose, but it has 

 so much purple as to be in this respect as distinct from all other gera- 

 niums as Purple King is distinct from all other verbenas. 



The next most distinct is Indian Yellow from the same raiser, and in 

 the same hands. This is a true nosegay of excellent habit, and the 

 colour orange scarlet, with a decided wash of pure yellow. As Amy 

 Hogg contains the largest proportion of blue of any known geranium, 



