268 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



promise to be most valuable acquisitions. One is a counterpart of 

 Pumila grandiflorn, with pure white flowers, and is known as the 

 Dicchess of J^dinburgh. The other was exhibited by the Pineapple 

 Nursery Company, of Edgware Road, as Pumila magnifica. This 

 attains a height of six inches, is very compact, and produces a pro- 

 fusion of deep blue flowers. It may be said to possess the vigour 

 and large flowers of speciosa, and the compactness and density of 

 bloom of pumila. 



There is nothing new to note amongst the bedding Verbenas, 

 Petunias, and Heliotropiums, and no additions of importance have 

 been made to the list of miscellaneous bedders. The Golden Chick- 

 weed, Stellar ia graminea aurea, is very rich in colour, and in some 

 respects surpasses the Golden Feather ; but it is less useful than 

 that old and popular subject, Coleus Verscliaffelti sple/idens is 

 undoubtedly the highest-coloured of the coleus adapted for bedding, 

 and well maintains the high character I gave it when first intro- 

 duced. That and Alternanthera macjuijica are the two best dark- 

 leaved bedders — the former for the centre of beds, and the latter for 

 front lines, or for panel or carpet beds generally. 



In conclusion, I would strongly impress upon my readers the 

 importance of propagating bedders early, for cuttings taken when 

 the plants are fresh strike more freely than those taken later in the 

 season, and, moreover, make better plants. The geraniums should 

 be struck in a sunny border, and when nicely rooted, lifted and 

 potted separately, or two or three together. Many amateurs fail in 

 securing good stocks of favourite subjects, through leaving the 

 propagation until late in the season, when the growth has become 

 sappy, and in a condition quite unfit for propagating purposes. 



DAYLIGHT DECOEATIONS FOR THE DINNER-TABLE. 



BT MISS A. HASSAED, 

 St. Eonan's, Upper Norwood. 



fOME time since, in an article on table decoration in 

 the Elobal Woelb, 1 mentioned that at a future date 

 I should give descriptions of vases, etc., suitable for 

 the decoration of the dinner-table when seen by day- 

 light only, as many charming arrangements can be made 

 with shades of colour, which if subjected to artificial light, would 

 appear to anything but advantage. I shall first treat a group for 

 the dinner-table, as that now forms one of our most important floral 

 decorations. 



We will suppose it is for the decoration of a circular table. 

 Well, in the centre I think I should place a stand in the form of a 

 slender grass trumpet, rising out of a flat tazza. Round this I 

 should place four gracefully-shaped small glass baskets, and between 

 each basket a rather large-sized specimen glass. Having selected 

 the stands, the next point tobe settled is what flowers are to be used 



