1873.] EXHIBITION ZONAL PELARGONIUMS. 189 



I have no doubt there are many who, like myself, have to send their garden 

 produce to London once a- week while the family are in town, I consider it 

 injurious to the plant to allow the fruit to remain on it after they are ready for 

 use, and it would soon be too old ; therefore I always cut when ready, and lay 

 them in common drain-pipes 2 feet long, or in a chimney-pot. These are buried in 

 a heap of earth, a piece of slate being stuck at each end to keep out the soil ; and 

 when required, they are as fresh as if just cut. I have often kept them this 

 way a fortnight. 



Last October and November, I had some buried in dry earth, where the rain 

 could not reach them, three weeks, and they were then fresh and good. I have 

 tried various other plans to keep them, but have found none to answer like this 

 one. W. NoKES. 



ACACIA RICEAlSrA. 



Allusion being made in your January number to this fine hard-wooded plant 

 by " W. S.," with your permission I would say a few more words in its favour. 

 It is without exception the most gracefid and useful of the genus Acacia ; for 

 not only is it so in a flowering state, but from the time the young growths arrive 

 to maturity in May, till it opens its flowers in March and April, its beauty and 

 utility is continuous. I have sent you a branch of it, which will give you an 

 idea of what great use it may be put to, and more especially in large establish- 

 ments where large quantities of floral decoration are constantly wanted. I find 

 nothing so eflfective for fringing a nosegay as this : forming a ground-work for 

 other flowers ; hanging gracefully from candelabra on the dinner-table ; Christmas 

 decoration for fringing miniature or family portraits — for it has the rare quality 

 of standing fresh and living-like without water for a considerable time— and a 

 hundred other ways that will readily occur to the floral decorator. It is raised 

 from seed, but it must previously be soaked in boiling water ; warm water is not 

 sufficient. An Australian friend sent me some Acacia seed, and with this piece 

 of information — "Pour boiling water on the seed before sowing, or you sow 

 disappointment." H. Knight, 



Floors Gardens. 



[A very elegant and useful plant. — Ed.] 



EXHIBITIOlSr ZOISTAL PELARGONIUMS. 



Now that this fine class of plants is getting much attention in many gardening 

 papers of late, I beg to offer a few remarks as to the best varieties to be grown 

 for the above purpose. The immense quantity of seedlings raised yearly is all 

 but causing confusion, and in many cases disappointment. True, gardeners are 

 very slow in discarding any good variety to make room for new ones, imless they 

 prove its qualities to be better than those they have been growing. Neverthe- 

 less there is an immense improvement of late in this class of Pelargoniums, more 

 so than in the Tricolor class. All shades of colour are now well represented. 

 Only a few years back, when Christine came out it made a sensation in the bed- 

 ding department, just because its coloiu* was what was wanted at that time; 

 now it is not worth house-room as compared to the following ; Mrs Wm. Paul, 

 Zaidee, Mrs Keeler, Helen Pennington, Blue Bell, &c. Madame Vaucher 



