JANUARY. 27 



for small parterres and edgings. For small or pincushion beds, or 

 round Rose trees, the following answer admirably : Cerastium tomen- 

 tosum and Miss Trotter Verbena, mixed ; Imperatrice Elizabeth Ver- 

 bena and an edging of Lady Plymouth. Miss Trotter Verbena and an 

 edging of Lady Plymouth Geranium is very good. Crimson Ivy-leaf 

 Geranium edged with Buchnera biflora ; Purple King Verbena edged 

 with Silver Queen Geranium. Another, Harkaway and Princess 

 Geranium, mixed, edged with Golden Chain. Another bed, Brilliant 

 Geranium for centre, with a broad band of Mangles' Geranium and 

 Verbena venosa mixed together. I have seen some beautiful beds of 

 French Aster this season which looked well ; the way in which they 

 were arranged, beginning with the dark purple in the centre and 

 gradually shading them down to the edge, ending with a broad band of 

 white, had a good effect. A ribbon of French Asters mixed and pegged 

 down is very beautiful. 



The beds I have described above I can strongly recommend, and if 

 you should think it would be interesting to the readers of the Florist, 

 I will some day give a few hints on ribbon borders and chain beds and 

 shaded beds of Calceolarias, &c, as I have seen some very good things 

 in this way, which may interest some of your readers. 



[Pray do.— Ed.] 



Charles Hathrell. 



Stanton Rectory. 



REVIEW. 



The Amateur s Guide for 1859. Sutton and Sons, Royal Berkshire 

 Seed Establishment, Reading. 



The " Amateur's Guide," we are glad to notice, keeps steadily pro- 

 gressing in useful matter and classification, while the descriptions 

 appended to the various articles offered for sale appear correct, without 

 any attempt to exaggerate or mislead, and their selections appear to 

 us equally judicious and sound. Of the general excellence of the seeds 

 sent out by this firm we can certify, as well as to the punctuality and 

 business-like manner of all their transactions. The space which we 

 can devote to these notices precludes our saying more than recommending 

 the work itself to our readers as a valuable assistant and guide to 

 purchasers. 



ROYAL EXOTIC NURSERY, KING'S ROAD, CHELSEA. 



[Second Notice. J 



To the right and left of the grand show house are the structures 

 devoted to the most important of the Ferns. I noticed many 

 remarkable specimens of very rare kinds. In the cool Fern-house I 

 particularly remarked some beautiful specimens of Odontoglossum 

 grande and several other Orchids. I learned that the temperature 

 of this cooler department did not exceed 50°, and at night 45° ; the 



