MAY. 127 



Two new bedding-plants have lately made a great stir in the 

 floriciiltural world ; and the prevailing rage for any thing new caused 

 one of them (Plumbago Larpentae) to be readily purchased at three 

 guineas a plant ; but one season's experience proved this costly 

 novelty to be perfectly useless for culture in the open ground. The 

 other (Zauschneria californica) is a trailing herbaceous plant, nearly 

 or quite hardy. The colour of the flowers is red, and individually 

 they are showy, but they appear to be produced too sparingly to 

 make an effective bed ; moreover, its colour and habit bring it into 

 direct competition with the Scarlet Verbenas, to some of which it is 

 infinitely inferior in showiness. Another plant, called Abronia um- 

 bellata, introduced by the same collector as the last, is a desirable 

 thing for baskets, &c. on account of its numerous heads of fragrant 

 pinkish flowers ; its loose straggling habit, however, unfits it for 

 bedding. 



It is to be regretted that the stature of the noblest flower of 

 autumn — the Dahlia — precludes its admission into a symmetrical 

 flower-garden, except for a central bed ; but in all situations where 

 it can be introduced with propriety, either singly, at the back of 

 borders, or in groups upon a lawn, the Dahlia ought never to be 

 omitted. To such of our readers as have not an opportunity of see- 

 ing large collections, the following list of the best sorts noticed at 

 the metropolitan exhibitions last autumn might be useful as a guide 

 in purchasing. We purposely exclude the newest and most costly 

 varieties, and give those only that can be procured at a moderate 

 price. Tl^e height which the different sorts attain under ordinary 

 culture is taken from Mr. C. Turner's Catalogue. 



feet. feet. 



Turner's Mr. Seldon, colour rosy , Turner's Grenadier, ruby crimson 5 



and hlac 3 Gaines's Princess Radziwil, white 



Stein's Richard Cobden, dark ma- and purple . . . .3 



roon 3 Dodd's Miss Chaplain, peach, tip- 

 Turner's Scarlet Gem, scarlet . 3-4 ped with crimson . . .3-4 

 Drummond's Mynn, crimson . 4 Sainsbury's Beeswing, ruby . . 3-4 

 Collison's Shylock, scarlet . .3 Procktor'sBermondsey Bee, purple 3 

 Batteur"s Toison d'Ur, pale bluff 2-3 Drummond's Duke of Wellington, 



Oakley's Gem, white and lavender 3 ■ orange 



Collison's Andromeda, buff and Sealey's Marquis of Worcester, 



pink . . . . . 4 i white and crimson . . .4 



Whale's Marchioness of Comwal- Turner's Berryer, dark maroon .4 



lis, blush 3 ' Barham's Beauty of Hastings, 



Barnes's Fearless, lilac . .5 white, tipped with crimson . 3 

 Turner's Privateer, yellow and red 3 



The twenty kinds named above can be bought for about thirty 

 shillings ; and they will make a very handsome bed, if the heights 

 are properly arranged and the colours judiciousl)- mixed. Those 

 which follow are what are called /awcy Dahlias, — a new class which 

 is rapidly rising in importance among Florists. Young purchased 

 plants ought not to be ventured out till about the middle of 

 this month, but old tubers might be divided and planted imme- 

 diately. 



