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RECENTLY-INTRODUCED BEDDING PLANTS. 



OVELTY is attractive to some extent, irrespective of 

 merit; if it were not so, there would be no disappoint- 

 ments. But people purchase and cultivate plants that 

 are new, without waiting to learn on good evidence if 

 they are good ; and so it does not wholly rest with 

 those who profess to keep experimental gardens to determine the 

 exact values of nowly-iiitroduced plants. Many of our readers have, of 

 course, been trying various of the new bedders this season, and 

 therefore the existence of materials for a fair judgment upon them 

 cannot be questioned. We should greatly esteem the favour of 

 communications from readers on the characters of any new bedders 

 they have grovving ; and in the meantime, we follow the custom of 

 the Floral World, and oifer a few notes drawn from our own 

 experiences. 



Geraniums.— None of the highly-coloured variegated kinds 

 appear to be so well adapted for bedding as the now well-established 

 Mrs. Pollock. But in other sections there are some meritorious 

 novelties. First amongst these we place the Variegated Stella, a 

 most luxurious coloured variety, the new leafage having a subdued 

 sulphur colour, which, as the leaves expand, clianges to a clear 

 cream. The habit is rather more dwarf and compact than that of 

 Stella, as might be expected, and this, of course, is an additiond 

 recommendation. The flowers have not as yet been produced so 

 plentifully as those of the parent ; but probably, when we get old 

 plants of Variegated Stella, we shall find them bloom as freely as old 

 plants of Flower of the Day, and then this superb variety wdl enjoy 

 the highest fame of them all. Saltmarsh's Luna has behaved in a 

 remarkable manner at Stoke Newington. Its principal display is in 

 the early part of the season, when the cinnamou zones and sulphur 

 margins are truly sph^ndid; and if flowers are allowed, they are 

 produced in as great plenty as in any of the scarlet bedders known. 

 Having taken some interest in the decoration of a friend's garden, 

 this season, I determined he should derive the fullest possible benefit 

 from two of the most beautiful geraniums known, and I therefore 

 secured a good stock of well-hardened plants of both Luna and 

 Mrs. Pollock, in 48-sized pots. The Lunas were plunged in the 

 front of a ribbon line, at the end of May, and the others were kept 

 in a sunny pit, with plenty of air. In the middle of July the Lunas 

 were beginning to lose their brilliant colours, so I had them taken 

 up, and put in the pit, and the stock of Mrs. Pollock were plunged 

 in their place. At the date of writing this (August 18) the border 

 is brilliant beyond all ordinary things. I abstain from describing 

 it, because all we have to do with it now is as to the management of 

 the two geraniums. Bronze Shield, sent out by Messrs. F. and A. 

 Smith, is a very showy variety of the cinnamon zoned series ; robust 

 in habit, and keeping its colour well. Rising Sun, sent out by Mr. 

 Turner, is likely to be a superb bedder ; the margin is a rich gold 

 yellow, with lively light brown zone. Flower of Spring and Silver 



