THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 233 



smaller kinds of fungi, might be secured, forming tiny gardens of 

 very great beauty and interest. 



A simpler mode of preparing the soil for anything of the kind, 

 and which would probably be iound to answer quite as well, is to 

 scald some earth in a pan, which is placed on the side of the fire or 

 in the oven, and allowed to bake till dry. At any rate it will be 

 found a convenient plan for persons who have no garden to keep a 

 little supply of this prepared mould on hand, for potting small 

 things or treasures, as all plants we have tried seem to thrive well 

 in it. 



A bog of the kind described above is, by the way, a capital 

 means of propagating ajugas, which are extremely pretty, and ought 

 to be seen in plenty in all gardens where there are suitable 

 rockeries for them. They will in the little bog make roots in a few 

 days. Lately I struck some in this way, and they did remarkably 

 well. They lost a little of their colour from the heat under the 

 glass, but soon recovered when planted out of doors. Some young 

 tops of Mediterranean heath put in at the same time, evidently 

 enjoyed the warm, moist air, and made roots in a satisfactory 

 manner. 



FANCY PELAEGONIUMS. 



BY THOMAS XEUSSLER, EDMONTON, N. 



ANCY PELAEGONIUMS, when well grown, are so 

 remarkably attractive, and so valuable for the decora- 

 tion of the conservatory during the month of June, 

 that it would be difficult to speak of them beyond their 

 deserts. We have no high-coloured varieties in the 

 section, but the delicately-tinted, gauzy-like flowers present a most 

 pleasing contrast to the high colours of the show varieties which, 

 it need hardly be said, are in perfection at the same time. Of late 

 years there has been too great a leaning towards the zonal and 

 tricolor geraniums, to the injury of old favourites, and the fancy 

 pelargoniums have suffered amongst others. There can be no ques- 

 tion as to the value of the zonals for the embellishment of the 

 conservatory, but they ought to be kept back to follow the fancies 

 and show sorts, and not, as is often the case, allowed to usurp their 

 place. 



Any one who may feel inclined to grow a stock of the fancies 

 for the conservatory could not commence at a more suitable time 

 than the present, for plants raised from cuttings struck now will 

 bloom superbly next season, and small plants purchased within the 

 next few weeks will make fair-sized specimens by the spring follow- 

 ing. Large specimens^, trained to present an even surface of bloom, 

 such as the visitors to the metropolitan exhibitions are accustomed to, 

 are not required ; indeed, they are quite unsuitable for conservatories, 

 as it is impossible to intermix them with fine foliage and other 



August, 



