APRIL. 113 



white ; for there are two classes of these green and white variegations, 

 — those which throw back their leaves like Flower of the Day, and 

 those which cup them like Brilliant. What is wanted, and what 1 

 think we are getting, is, Jf at -leaved varieties, that would come between 

 the two ; for, again, there are new ones in the field, of which a word 

 or two. Jane is a decided move in the right direction ; the flowers are 

 intense vivid scarlet, the individual pip large and well-formed, and 

 the truss bold and striking, while the marking is fine, clear, and equal. 



There is another class, which has not as yet become so effective as it 

 will doubtless be, but what is familiar to all who grow these plants, 

 those with pink or crimson horseshoes, such as Attraction, Hotel de 

 Cluny, &c. As pot plants, nothing can be more beautiful than they 

 are, but their habit has hitherto not been such as to make them 

 effective bedding plants ; in this respect they are improving. Picturata 

 is a very beautiful thing in this style ; the edge of the leaf is white ; 

 then comes a broad circle or horseshoe of crimson and pink, and inside 

 this again a green blotch. Of a similar character to this is a seedling 

 of Mr. Henderson's, No. 25, not yet named, with a pink horseshoe 

 and scarlet flowers, something in the style of Hotel de Cluny, but 

 improved. By and bye, we hope to see this class very effectively 

 used for bedding purposes. There is yet a third class of variegation, 

 the golden-edged ones. For many many years this was an utterly 

 neglected tribe ; but now they are much wanted and extensively used 

 for giving beauty to the flower garden. The only one hitherto used in 

 any quantity is Golden Chain ; in foliage it cannot well be beaten, but 

 the flowers are very poor ; and to give effect to it, it is better to pinch 

 them off. For a long time, it was considered extremely difficult 

 to grow. Persons used to make cuttings of it in autumn, as of the 

 scarlets, &c, and found great failure to be the consequence ; but now 

 the case is different. I saw a very effective bed of it in Norfolk last 

 year, composed of plants which had been taken up in the autumn, 

 potted, kept dry, and then turned out again ; this had been done 

 several years. The plants were consequently large, and the bed very 

 striking Cuttings to any ammount may now be made by taking them 

 off in the spring, and striking them in a cold frame or greenhouse (not 

 in heat). 



As variegated Geraniums are not such large growers as the scarlets of 

 Tom Thumb, Attraction, &c, the beds, when planted, are gene- 

 rally filled in with other plants, such as Cerastium tomentosum, or 

 Alyssum variegatum. Being themselves variegated and free in 

 growth, they fill up the interstices, cover the ground, and greatly add 

 to the beauty of the bed ; while others use largely Verbena venosa for 

 the same purpose. I have not been able to use this myself in my 

 own little plot, and so cannot speak from personal knowledge ; but I 

 am told it answers uncommonly well, and that the contrast is as 

 pretty as the concord in the other case. It will be seen from the 

 above observations what are the sorts that I think peculiarly useful. 

 I shall, however, add here a list of those which, in each class, in my 

 humble judgment, are the best for small gardens, marking those that 

 are new by an asterisk. 



VOL. XII., NO. CXXXVI. I 



