THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 49 



bed must be well drained, and must consist of light sandy loam, 

 enriched with about a third part of quite rotten manure. Into this 

 bed transplant the seedlings, as soon as they have five leaves each, 

 and plant them in the bed five inches apart every way. Water as 

 needful, shade from the hottest sun ; if blooms appear in autumn, nip 

 them out ; when winter comes, protect from storms by means of a 

 few hurdles put aslant, or by means of frames laid flat over them, 

 with flower-pots to keep them at a proper height. If you take no 

 notice of them at all, you will probably not lose one, but they will 

 look better in the spring if sheltered, than if left to all the injurious 

 efi*ects of rain, wind, and frost. When they flower, mark the best 

 with numbers, and enter in a book the numbers, with accompanying 

 descriptions ; and in July take up such as are worth special atten- 

 tion, and pot them. As for the rest, plant them in the borders, or 

 give them away, or destroy them. 



Alpine auriculas are of less value than the show varieties, but 

 they are exquisitely beautiful. Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough, has 

 of late years shown alpines in such splendour, that many auricula- 

 growers, who would a few years ago have shuddered to have such 

 things, are now collecting the best and raising seedlings. The 

 depth of the body-colour, the purity of the gold or sulphur- 

 coloured paste, and the matchless form of some of the alpine 

 auriculas are — 



" Tilings to dream of with more ardency 

 Than the death-day of empires." 



The raising of alpines from seed is an amusement particularly 

 well adapted for ladies, indeed I wonder every lady gardener has not 

 a little collection of these gems, so refined and lustrous are they, 

 yet so simple in their beauty. As to the raising of alpines, there is 

 no better process than that described above for the show kinds, 

 therefore to recommend them is the best I can do. 



I have given above the mixture of soils I have long used for the 

 seed-pans, and I am satisfied no better mixture can be made. But 

 I have seen some good seedlings raised by an amateur w^bo had 

 nothing better than common garden loam and some cocoa-nut fibre. 

 He Diixed a fifth part of the fibre with sifted loam, and having sown 

 the seeds, covered it with a quarter of an inch of the finest of the 

 fibre, carefully sifted out from the mass. 



A PEW SUPERB YAEIEGATED-LEAYED BEDDERS. 



pRTSANTHEMUM SENSATION has acquired un- 

 usual importance in consequence of its beautiful creamy 

 variegation and its perfect hardness. It will be a 

 valuable auxiliary to the variegated geraniums, and in 

 many cases supersede them. The stock for bedding 

 may be struck in March or April, and the plants can be trained and 



VOL. II. — NO. II. 4 



