142 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



for they constitute a most valuable class of plants for small beds and 

 edging large ones. There are two types of these flowers, one of 

 cushion-like growth, and known as the pumila section, and the other 

 of stronger growth, and more spreading, and known as the speciosa 

 section. The varieties comprised in the last-mentioned section are 

 the most desirable, as, under favourable circumstances, they bloom 

 freely throughout the season, whilst those belonging to the other 

 break dow^n occasionally and leave ugly blanks. Moreover, as the 

 varieties of speciosa grow with a greater degree of vigour, fewer 

 plants are required for a given space, a consideration of no little im- 

 portance to those who have to buy. BriUiaiii, dark blue, and 

 Mazarine Gem, rather light blue, are the two best forms of speciosa. 

 Blue King is also good, and a fine strain of speciosa is not to be 

 despised. The most useful of the varieties of pumila are Pumila 

 fjrandifiora, bright blue ; Annie, lilac ; and Purple Prince, purplish 

 lilac. 



Pettjkias suffer somewhat in rough weather, but they ftu-nish 

 us with fine masses of rose and purple in ordinary good soil, and if 

 the soil is not rich enough to promote a luxuriant growth, they will 

 not suff"er materially from exposure to a few heavy showers, which 

 alone are capable of doing them any harm. There are but few sorts 

 suitable for the flower-garden, and the best of these are : — 

 Spit/ire, deep purple; Miss Earl, pink; and Single Beauty, light 

 purple. 



Veebenas, like calceolarias, succeed best in moderately cool and 

 comparatively rich soils, and when they do well present ns with 

 splendid masses of colour. They are in fact quite unsurpassed when 

 they do well. The most effective of the scarlet varieties are : — 

 Basilisk, Crimson King, Hercules, and Melindres splendens. Of the 

 other colours, the undermentioned can be well recommended : — 

 Polly Perhiiis, magenta ; Sportsman, rose pink ; Purple King, 

 purple ; and La Grande JBoule de Neige, white. There are a con- 

 siderable number of other varieties that may be planted out, but the 

 foregoing are the best for bedding purposes, and a large number is 

 really not required. 



NOTES ON BEDDING- OUT. 



BY JOHN WALSH. 



EEW days after the May number of the Feoeal World 

 is in the hands of its readers, amateurs and others will 

 be busily engaged in the work of filling their flower- 

 beds for the summer season, and a few word? of advice 

 will perhaps prove of some service to them. There are 

 several matters to consider in dealing with this question, all of which 

 are more or less important. There is, for example, the j^reparation 

 of the beds, the hardening off" of the plants, the most suitable time 

 for planting out, the proper arrangement of the colours, and so on. 

 I shall endeavour to say a few words in reference to each of the 



