1 873-] A PLEA FOR FANCY PELARGONIUMS. 137 



Mr Thompson, of Cliiswick, who went very carefully into this subject, 

 and took his data from nature as much as from science, that 

 the mean temperature of Beyrout, Cadiz, and Catania (while Vines 

 are in flower), is respectively 69°, 63°, and 71°. At the latter place, the 

 Muscat of Alexandria attains a high degree of perfection in the open 

 air under the name of Zebibo. This speaks volumes. 



Your correspondent J. S. is inclined to think that many of the 

 pests that infest forcing structures are traceable to fire-heat ; spider 

 and thrip he especially points out. I beg to ask him what we are to 

 blame for those plots of Gooseberries in the open gardens that 

 are frequently to be seen denuded of their leaves with red- 

 spider? I have no hesitation in saying that if the proper atmo- 

 sphere is maintained in a forcing-house, such pests will not give 

 much trouble. I meant to have described an effectual mode of de- 

 stroying spider in vineries, but perhaps, as I have drawn this out 

 sufficiently long, I may, with the Editor's permission, make it the sub- 

 ject of another paper. This paper has been written with no other 

 object than the arraying of facts against such chimerical ideas as those 

 advanced by J. S., and suchlike ; and I am just as ready to return to 

 the subject as J. S. is, and give him facts for a lifetime, if I think it 

 worth my while. D. J- 



Broughty Feuhy. 



A PLEA FOF. LARGE FLOWERED ANT> YANCY 

 PELARGONIUMS. 



It must be evident to any person that takes an interest in the large- 

 flowering and fancy sections of the Pelargonium, and can remember 

 fifteen or sixteen years ago, that these plants are not so highly appre- 

 ciated by the majority of gardeners at present as they were at that 

 time. In confirmation of this, it is only necessary to notice in how 

 few places they are to be met with nowadays in a condition creditable 

 to the cultivators, and also how seldom they are alluded to in the 

 horticultural journals of the day ; whilst scarcely a month passes 

 without a paper appearing in praise of some variety or section in the 

 scarlet division of the Pelargonium. The great improvement that 

 hybridisers have of late years effected in the latter division, furnishes 

 one reason why the large-flowering and fancy sections are less esteemed 

 at present than they formerly were. The advent of Mrs Pollock and 

 Sunset so surprised the horticultural world that gardeners were 

 suddenly taken with a tricolour mania, which, on the appearance of 

 Beauties of Calderdale and Eibbesdale, assumed the Golden Bronze 



