MAY. 117 



season, are Basilisk, Rosamond, Chieftain, Colonel of the Buffs, and 

 Pulchrum, four of which we expect to form a part of our lot for the 

 first May exhibition. 



Those we find good early, as well as in June, are Constance, 

 Magnet, Magnificent, Gulielma, Rowena, Alonzo, Ariadne, Mochan- 

 na, Rachel, Pride of the Isles, Rosa, Eleanor, Shylock, Leonora, 

 Prince Arthur, Queen of May, Galatea. 



Another class, those that are in their finest condition and greatest 

 beauty throughout June, are Enchantress, Purple Standard, Opti- 

 mum, Leader, Lablache, Flying Dutchman, Loveliness, Lagoma, 

 Portia, Alibi, Exactum, Elise, Novelty, Arethusa, Star, Electra, Emily, 

 Ganemede, National, Ajax, and Astrea. 



Many of the last division, Optimum and Alibi for instance, flower 

 in good character in July as well as in June. 



We now come to another class of flowers, which are better late 

 than at any other time, and should not be grown for an early exhibi- 

 tion, viz. Cassandra, Belle of the Village, Rosalind, Cordelia, and 

 Monteith. The latter will be good also in June. Constance is one 

 of the few that can be bloomed in character the three months, May, 

 June, and July. Rosamond, Magnet, and Basilisk are perhaps the 

 earliest of any, and may be had good in April. 



The plants grown for exhibition about London are exceedingly 

 fine this season, and we hope, for the sake of those that have to get 

 their plants in bloom for the early shows, that the weather will be 

 more genial than it was last spring, when we experienced six weeks 

 of cold easterly winds. 



It is also a long time since we have had any discussion on the 

 merits of existing varieties of the Pelargonium, either by lists, de- 

 scriptions, or returns of winning flowers at our exhibitions. Know- 

 ing how well qualified many of the readers of the Florist are for this 

 task, we hope they will come forward and give us the results of their 

 experience; and we recommend their taking notes at the coming 

 exhibitions for this purpose. 



Another point worth referring to is, how far have we approached 

 the excellent standard of what a Pelargonium should be, as laid down 

 by Mr. Beck in the first volume (1848) of the Florist? Have we 

 been progressing during the last four years? and if so, to what ex- 

 tent ? We are of opinion there has been considerable progress : yet 

 if asked which is the best Pelargonium out, we should hesitate in 

 replying, and feel assured if the question were put to the six best 

 growers, there would be some diversity of opinion. 



Some would be looking for habit of plant and freeness of bloom ; 

 others for shape, purity, richness, and density of colour, with smooth- 

 ness of edge and surface ; some have a partiality for certain colours, 

 and consider a flower deficient, whatever its other properties may be, 

 if it is of a colour not so attractive and pleasing as their favourite. 

 We shall not attempt to answer the question we have put, but have 

 given a sketch of Leonora, from a drawing taken by Mr. Andrews, in 

 June last, which we think, for a single flower, is not surpassed ; En- 

 chantress is the only variety that is equal to it. We freely admit, 



