116 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



tlirougli the soil. For the later supplies a cool, sbady position must 

 be selected, for when grown in a hot and dry situation during the 

 summer season, radishes are usually stringy and very pungent. The 

 soil cannot well be too rich, provided the manure with which it is 

 dressed is well decomposed. Liberal dressings of powdery leaf-mould 

 will be also useful in promoting a rapid and succulent growth. 



They are most delicate in flavour when of the size of a filbert, 

 but they may be used when full grown, for they retain their mild 

 succulent flavour until the last. 



BLUE ELOWERED GERANIUMS. 



BY GEOEGE OOBDON. 



iLTHOUGrH we have no geraniums with flowers of the 

 same hue as the well-known Delphinium formosum, 

 some of the zonal varieties introduced within the last 

 few years produce flowers of such a decided blue tone 

 that they constitute a distinct and most beautiful class 

 of themselves. Tliese vai-ieties are of immense value for the con- 

 servatory, for they are remarkably attractive, and present a pleasing 

 contrast with the scarlet, pink, and white varieties. The most 

 important of these varieties have been raised by Dr. Denny, who, as 

 was stated in the Floeal Woeld for December last, has devoted 

 for several years past a considerable amount of attention to the 

 improvement of the zonals. That beautiful variety, Imogen, which 

 was figured in the number referred to, is the nearest approach to 

 blue we have ; but it is not yet in commerce, and we must therefore 

 wait for it. The best of those which may at once be procured is 

 Nelson and this is so thoroughly beautiful that it should form part 

 of the smallest collection ; the habit of the plant is exceedingly good, 

 and the flowers are of fine form, s])lendid quality, and exceedingly 

 rich, the colour a lovely shade of blue-tinted magenta ; the petals of 

 the flowers possess the important property of being more persistent 

 than those of many other varieties belonging to this section, which 

 adds very considerably to its value. lanthe, one of the first of the 

 blue-tinted varieties selected from Dr. Denny's seed-bed, still remains 

 one of the best, for the flowers are of good shape, rich in colour, and 

 produced in the most profuse manner. These varieties raised by Dr. 

 Denny are sent out by Mr. Copeliii, Tyssen Street Nursery, Hackney. 

 Several very beautiful varieties belonging to this section have 

 Tbeen distributed by Mr. Cannell, of Woolwich. One of the flrst 

 of these was Madame Mezard which, although very beautiful, is 

 surpassed by those already mentioned. MearVs-ease is a dwarf- 

 growino- variety, producing a profusion of small trusses of flowers of 

 the most perfect shape ; the colour is a deep rich crimson suftlised 

 with a lovely bluish purple shade. 3Irs. Blizard differs materially 

 from all the other blue-tinted flowers, for the colour is a distinct 

 shade of bluish pink, quite surpassing Blue Bell and others of the 

 same character, ill)-. Chandler may be considered one of the best of 

 the class, the flowers are of good quality, of comparatively large 



