418 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



THE GETTING UP OF ZONAL PELARGONIUMS 

 FOR EXHIBITION. 



Years ago, when one saw in a schedule of prizes a class for three, or 

 four, or six " Scarlet Geraniums," the intending exhibitor had no diffi- 

 culty in understanding what was required, for at that time the number 

 of varieties was limited to those having more or less of this shade of 

 colour in the flowers. Then, when with an increase of varieties came 

 some having flowers with quite pale colours, the limitation of " Scarlet 

 Geraniums," though always widely interpreted as inclusive of a certain 

 class rather than of a certain shade of colour, was felt to be somewhat 

 absurd ; and in time that gave place to " Zonal Pelargoniums," the 

 former again widely interpreted as taking in all that section known 

 as "Scarlet Geraniums," though having flowers of various hues and 

 leaves destitute of the zone common to many of them. A better 

 botanical knowledge also led to the substitution of the generic term 

 Pelargonium for Geranium. A wonderful improvement has gone on 

 in these plants during the past twenty years ; and tracing forwards 

 from the circle of bright colour in the flowers of the well-known Tom 

 Thumb, it has been seen to change, like a chromatrope, into a wondrous 

 variety of shades of colour and types of flowers, that now form at sum- 

 mer and autumn exhibitions some of their brightest and most effective 

 features. The general term "scarlet," still found in some schedules of 

 prizes, has become a misnomer. We are no longer confined to that 

 sole colour, but have a range from the purest white, as found in 

 Purity, to the deep crimson scarlet of Sambo. Thus it is easy and 

 possible to stage, in a collection of six, nine, or twelve plants, as many 

 shades of colour \ and there is not a good variety in cultivation at the 

 present day of which a well-grown plant does not constitute a striking 

 and beautiful object. But classes and varieties have developed as 

 well as colours ; and the Zonal Pelargonium, swelling into importance 

 with its high-sounding name, has assumed double forms that bid fair 

 to become formidable rivals to the single varieties, either for exhibi- 

 tion or for decorative purposes. 'Tis true the range of colour in the 

 flowers is as yet somewhat restricted; but that is a drawback that 

 probably will not long exist, whilst it is also largely compensated for 

 by the more permanent character of the flowers, which retain their petals 

 and consequent usefulness for a much longer period. The Nosegay 

 section has usually a separate class also allotted to it, because it differs 

 in its general features somewhat distinctly from the original Zonal 

 kinds ; but later varieties have exhibited such an approximation in the 

 form of the pip to that of the best of the Zonal section, whilst retain- 

 ing all the Nosegay freedom of growth and floriferous character of 



