THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 211 



deltoides and A. 'purpurea are the two kinds most generally used ; 

 nevertheless, A. Campbelli and the little variegated-leaved variety are 

 gems of the first quality. In summer they delight in shade, and 

 require to be planted rather thickly to make a good show. Any 

 light ordinary soil will grow them. In my display of spring flowers 

 this year, the most telling beds consisted of Iberis Gibraltica, white, 

 and Ahjssum saxatile compaction, yellow. These were really superb, 

 not only for their distinctive characters, but also for the length of 

 time they lasted in bloom. My present plants I have used two 

 years, and I think they will do the same duties for two years longer, 

 so that the labour of keeping up a stock is not so great as some 

 suppose. They are carefully lifted from the reserve ground in the 

 autumn, and taken to the beds, and from these brought back again 

 when they go out of flower. Like most of the spring flowers, they 

 like shade in summer. 



Seedling Pansies make showy and lasting beds. The seed should 

 be sown in July, in a large pan or box, and placed iu the shade, 

 there to remain until the seedlings are up, when they should be 

 pricked out four inches apart, in a fine rich border. They will 

 make nice plants by the 1st of November. 



The Double Primroses are exceedingly pretty, but, alas! very 

 scarce. Nevertheless, they must, if possible, be secured ; and the 

 doable white and double lilac are the commonest kinds, and may be 

 used in lines or in separate beds. 



Every reasonable attention should be given to the Polyanthus. 

 "We use these largely here, for the reason that with a few weeks' 

 mild weather in the depth of winter they never fail to flower. My 

 stock in the first instance was raised from seed, from which, when 

 they flowered, the worst kinds were weeded out. Seed sown in 

 July, and kept in the shade, will soon produce a lot of plants. 

 Those in October, planted out in a good rich soil, will flower well 

 the following March. In the west of England the scarce and 

 choice kinds are not desirable for bedding, as they do not flower 

 early enough. I doubt, indeed, if the beautiful laced flowers of the 

 florists are adapted for bedding anywhere. At all events, our Editor 

 can tell us, for he is a cultivator of the laced flowers, and has some 

 charming sorts. 



The spring-flowering bulbs, such as Hyacinths, Tulips, and 

 Crocuses, etc., are too well known to need my recommendation. At 

 the same time, I may say that people who have never seen the 

 effect of early-flowering tulips mingled in the beds amongst the_ 

 subjects I have been recommending, can form no idea whatever of 

 the effect they produce. The coloured plate in the Elokal Would 

 of September, 1868, faintly suggests how tulips look when their 

 bold flowers stand up amidst surfacings of candytuft, arabis, alys- 

 sum, forget-me-not, etc., etc. Those of our readers who will first 

 plant their beds with these low-growing plants, and then put clumps 

 of tulips and hyacinths all over the beds amongst the other things, 

 will never regret the trouble and expense. 



