i8Si.] WINTER FLOWERS. 541 



whole winter. Old Vesuvius is unrivalled for a profusion of Howers. 

 Its trusses are considerably smaller than many others ; but the free- 

 dom with which they are succession ally produced more than com- 

 pensates for the deficiency. Many large-trussing kinds are very good, 

 and give great satisfaction during the autumn. When gigantic con- 

 servatories have to be kept a blaze of bloom during the winter, and 

 house-room for bringing the material into bloom is limited, selection 

 is of the utmost value. My aim is to obtain plants that will bloom 

 over the longest period of time, according to the temperature and other 

 conditions that can be given. White Vesuvius is a good companion to 

 the scarlet variety, and equally free here. Apple Blossom and Aida, 

 which are very much alike— the flowers of the latter being a little more 

 pink — are in consequence worth growing. The flowers of either variety 

 individually would not please the florist "proper," for the petals are 

 loose and anything but a good shape. They nevertheless answer our 

 purpose, by flowering freely and continuously for a long time. The 

 trusses are large and contrast well with the above. Rev. S. Stanhope 

 and Charles Schwind do well, and the stock will be increased. Sophie 

 Birchin, a distinct mottled salmon flower of fine form and substance, 

 does well under the same treatment as Vesuvius. Fanny Catlin and 

 Laura Strachan are good salmons ; but where the first-named is grown 

 the latter can be dispensed with. Amongst pinks a variety named 

 Harry Turner is the favourite — being a good-shaped flower, and the 

 trusses are freely produced all winter. Arthur Pearson is free, and 

 promises well ; also Mrs Strutt— the flower being rather loose but very 

 large. Mrs Skipworth, Lady Byron, Lady Sheffield, and Mrs Findley, 

 are pleasing colours and fair flowers — a few plants only of each being 

 grown. The semi-doubles are a most useful class — Wonderful being 

 free and most worthy of extensive cultivation. Others have been re- 

 commended to me as being better ; certainly Raspail makes a larger 

 truss, and is of a much darker shade of colour, but lacks freeness. 

 Guillon Mangilli is very fine for winter, and free, and should be grown 

 in quantity. E. South is a better flower, and of a deeper colour, and 

 is a grand companion plant. These two require more heat, and do not 

 draw up weakly like other varieties : Wonderful soon draws and be- 

 comes straggling, if subjected to too much heat. Madame Thibaut is 

 a good pink double of dwarf habit, and flowers very freely during the 

 early autumn months. 



A few of the Hybrid Cape Pelargoniums, or Echinatums, should be 

 grown for autumn and winter : they are beautiful for cutting and con- 

 servatory decoration, and are very easy to grow, being in no way 

 particular either to soil or treatment. If treated in the same way as 

 Zonal Pelargoniums they do remarkably well ; and if potted up dur- 

 ing March and placed in a little warmth, they flower through the 

 whole summer and well on into winter. After flowering they can be 

 placed under the stage and kept dry for a long time. When potted 



