THE PELARGONIUM. 



wnlking-stick through the bodj' of the flower just above the pot, and found that both ends 

 of tlie stick, (which is within half an inch of three feet in length,) were concealed by the 

 foliage. This M-as from front to back of the plant; the width was at least a foot greater 

 in extent; so that some idea may be formed of the mass of magnificence which is pre- 

 sented to the eye. It was not, nevertheless, the size of the plant that gave it its impor- 

 tance so much as the more than ordinarily large quantitj^ of flowers which had expanded 

 at once. In point of size, other genariums both at that and many other exhibitions of the 

 time were to be found. They weie grown in very large pots, and indeed took up, from 

 their magnitude so great an extent of space on the exhibition tables, that the two prin- 

 cipal Horticultural Societies at London, about that time limited the size of the pots for the 

 prizes offered for Pelargoniums, to eight or nine inches, with the view to discourage the 

 continued extension of their magnitude, which was intruding too materially upon the 

 claims of other families of plants, for room to exhibit their beauties. 



To return from this digiession to my historical sketch. !Mr. Foster's success having 

 as I have remarked, set others upon the scent, it was not long before they, like him, 

 were rewarded b}' the audition of fine varieties. Mr. Gaines, a nurseryman, brought 

 out man}' new varieties, some of which were very good, but many of little value, among 

 which was one in his catalogue for 1838, now before me, he sent out at five guineas, a 

 price that I well remember was thought at the time <(far beyond its merits. A clerg)'^- 

 man of the name of Garth, was one of the most fortunate; his " Perfection " was a 

 much esteemed variety, and the circumstance of its flowers being supported upon stiff 

 foot-stalks, which held them up erect above the foliage, a quality wanting in many of 

 Foster's early flowers, which consequently had to be held in position by sticks, was a 

 valuable acquisition. Ever}' year now brought forward several really fine and distinct 

 new varieties; and the emulation which arose between these, the two fathers of modern 

 geranium growing, as they are fully entitled to be called, Foster and Garth, occasioned 

 much interest to their admirers, as I doubt not it did to themselves. 



So matters went on until it was first whispered (about in 1840,) and then announced 

 by Foster's " publisher," (as we should say had it been a book,) in a flaming advertise- 

 ment, that the philosopher's stone was discovered; that Mr. Foster had outdone himself, 

 and that he had produced a flower that was the ne plus ultra of perfection. Intense was 

 the interest and anxiety to see it; the price at which it was to come out,^i5e guineas, was 

 only calculated to add fire to the flame of the enthusiasm; while the name " The Sylph," 

 served to re-eng.'ige in aid of his favorite pursuit, all the tender feelings which the amateur 

 had been able to steal from his floricultural affection, to devote to the softer sex ! I, for 

 one, went off to Catleugh's place, (that was the name of Foster's nurseryman,) and never 

 sliall I forget the pleasure with which I first gazed on the mass of plants of the " Sylph," 

 which he had congregated together, and which filled up a large space in one of his long 

 green-houses. The character of the flower was decidedly new, the colors also, while the 

 habit of the plant, when well groM'n, was unexceptional. At length this variety got into 

 general cultivation, and great were the disputes as to its merit.s. While one part of the 

 amateurs lauded it to the skies, another as unqualifiedly condemned it. The truth, as is 

 often the case in a ^war of oninions, rested between the two. It was undoubtedly in many 

 points a most desirable flower, and it had so distinct a character also, that its good quali- 

 ties became the more valuable. On the other hand, while it flourished most luxuriantly 

 with some, others could not get it to throw a good head of bloom. This arose prin- 

 , from its requiring rather more warmth than most geraniums, at one 

 growth. 



