Uarch 20, 1866. ] 



JOUENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



221 



faction. I believe the black-spined varieties are far superior 

 to the white for winter cultivation, setting better, and not 

 reciuiring so much sun as the white. I pot the cuttings singly 

 in small thumb pots, and plunge these in a moderate hotbed. 

 Great care should be exercised in shading them from the sun, 

 and giving them air towards the evening. A moderate supply 

 of water only should be given, otherwise they are liable to rot 

 off. They should also be syringed occasionally. 



Here we will leave them while I describe the preparation of 

 the house. My own is a half-span, with one bed in the front 

 about 3 feet deep. At the bottom of the bed I place a layer 

 of brickbats and crocks as drainage, and on this cotton-dust 

 well saturated with water. This I find affords the necessary 

 heat, and retains its heat well — an important point in Cucum- 

 ber-growing. After allowing the cotton-dust to cool down for 

 a day or two I put in the soil, which is composed of the soil 

 of a meadow, taken from below the grass, mixed well with spent 

 horse-droppings, to keep it open. This I also allow to remain 

 for a day or so, after which the plants may be put in, providing, 

 of course, they have prospered. Be careful to choose a dull 

 day for the work ; if not, shade them well from the sun. When 

 well established the plants should be syringed daily with tepid 

 rain water, if the sun is shining. This is very beneficial to 

 the plants, it freshens the foUage, and, above all, keeps down 

 insects. Occasional fumigations with common tobacco paper 

 are also necessary. 



Towards the beginning of February the plants will have 

 reached the top of the house, they should then be tied down 

 to the bottom wire, when they will start up again beautifully. 

 Another important point to be attended to is damping the 

 house. This should be done three times a-day, or oftener if 

 necessary. The floor and pipes should be well watered with a 

 rose, so as to raise a steam. Evaporatiug-troughs placed on 

 the pipes, and filled two or three times a-day, will also aid this 

 object greatly. 



By persevering in the above treatment Cucumbers can be 

 obtained from Christmas to September, or if there are two 

 houses, all the year round. — Peter. 



FLOWERS OF THE PAST SEASON. 



BEDDING GERASIITMS. 



Fashion — which is fast consigning florists' flowers to oblivion, 

 and seeking to heap ridicule and contempt on those whose 

 enthusiastic love for their favourite Tulip, Auricula, Pansy, or 

 Carnation did so much to encourage a love of floriculture 

 amongst a class who, without these florists' flowers, would 

 never have thought of it — has brought into prominence and 

 raised to the very first rank of favourites what a few years ago 

 would have been a mere ■' outsider ;" and the common scarlet 

 Geranium, which was at one time considered only fit for the 

 cottage window, is now the petted child of the first gardeners 

 in the land. There are some of us, who sigh for the days that 

 are past, who remember with feelings of pleasure the meetings 

 of former times, when .John Dickson of Brixton was in his 

 glory, and Turner of Slough a "'prentice hand" at those 

 flowers of which he has since become the king of cultivators. 

 I met one of the heroes of other days lately in a railway train, 

 and a pleasant little chat we had over those times. He after- 

 wards became a great Orchid fancier, and his name figured in 

 many a prize list. We cannot, however, be out of the fashion. 

 I question now in these days of push, and bustle, and love of 

 novelty, whether we shall see a resuscitation of this love of 

 florists' flowers, and so we must bend to the prevailing current. 



In giving these notes on new flowers I do not pretend to 

 give complete lists. I only speak of those I have seen either 

 in my own garden or in that of my friend and neighbour Mr. 

 Banks. These indeed comprise a great number, but not all of 

 the novelties ; and while not pretending to infallibility, I am 

 inclined to think that, as far as circumstances will allow, the 

 judgment will be found correct, 



BULI,. 



I have repeatedly spoken of the excellent strain of Zonale 

 Geraniums which Mr. Bull has obtained, and when his flowers 

 become better known I am sure they will be more appreciated 

 for their size and bedding qualities. I this year in my small 

 garden substitute Editor for Tom Thumb and Attraction, and 

 hope Clipper will be in the same honourable position. 



Governor. — A large rich scarlet. Flowers of eicellent form 

 and substance ; trusses large. 



Serena. — .\ beautiful and attractive flower, in the style of 

 Eve and Charmer, but superior to either of them. 



Manfred. — A fine, large, and striking flower of great merit, 

 brilliant scarlet in colour, and free in habit. I have noted 

 this as Al. 



Maiden's Blusli. — A delicate beautifully coloured pink flower, 

 and hkely to be useful. 



E. G. HENDEBSON & SON. 



Bridal Beauty. — In the style of Francjois Desbois and other 

 foreigners. Centre of the flower bright rosy salmon ; margin 

 pure white ; colours constant. Excellent also for pot purposes. 



Rose Perfection. — Light clear rose ; upper petals with white 

 centre. In the style of Rose Rendatler, &c. Medium in growth. 



HALLET. 



V'emif:. — A beautiful flower. Bright scarlet with white eye. 

 Foliage very prettily marked with a dark horseshoe, splashed 

 with brown. I imagine this will make a very effective pot 

 plant. 



SAI.TMABSH. 



Luna. — A fine flower of the Mrs. Milford section of Gera- 

 niums. Last season seemed to be peculiarly trying to this 

 class, and in many cases Cloth of Gold and others of a similar 

 character made no growth at all. Lima was more vigorous, 

 and did well. 



Little Treasure. — A very pretty dwarf-gi'owing variety. Very 

 free-blooming, and well adapted for small beds or for the edgings 

 of larger ones. 



T. & A. SMITH (dULWICH). 



In the catalogue published by this firm there is perhaps the 

 largest and most varied assortment of bedding Geraniums to 

 be found, whether continental or home-grown, and hence thel-e 

 is every opportunity for obtaining good sorts. I am very muth 

 mistaken, from what I have seen myself, whether there are 

 not at Dulwich some varieties of the Mrs. PoUock style, which 

 will exceed anything as yet out. Messrs. F. & A. mith 

 sent out twenty-four varieties last season. It was no' to be 

 expected they would be all first-rate, but some of them are 

 without doubt flowers of great merit;. of these I think the fol- 

 lowing are the best : — 



Biondetta. — In the style of Franijois Desbois, fcc. ; but the 

 centre a deeper orange salmon, shaded with the same colour, 

 and with white margin. 



Connpicua. — A fine flower, of a rosy blush colom-. Good form 

 and substance. 



Glow. — Well deserves its name. Truss large, individual 

 pips very large also, measuring nearly 2 inches across, a rich 

 deep scarlet ; foliage with dark zone. An excellent flower. 



Loveliness. — Colour rosy blush with salmon centre ; foliage 

 with dark zone. Good flower. 



Mafinum Boniim. — Orange salmon ; eye Hght. A very large 

 well-formed flower ; trusses very large and fine. 



Pre-eminent. — Somewhat in the way of Excellent as to habit, 

 fohage, &c., but deeper in colour. An excellent variety. 



Prinee of Oraniie. — I believe this wiU be found to be a most 

 useful flower. Its habit is dwarf and compact. The colour is 

 a bright orange scarlet, and the trusses are very abimdantly 

 produced. 



Premier. — Very deep scarlet ; white eye. WiU make an ex- 

 cellent plant for vases or pots. 



Rev. H. Dombrain. — Modesty forbids. It is, however, a rich 

 dark cerise flower, with a shot of lake through it ; flowers good 

 and large. A very desirable variety. 



G. SStlTH, TOLLINOTOS NURSHRT. 



How many good things have come from this Uttle nursery, 

 and how much care must have been exercised in fertiUsing in 

 order to procure so many ! Of the Geraniums Mr. Smith sent 

 out last year two struck me as very good, and one as being but 

 a little behind them. 



Glnn/. — Flowers of a bright orange scarlet, in the way of 

 that well-known and valued flower Herald of Spring, but its 

 colour is even brighter than that. The individual pips are 

 very large, and the truss fine. 



Highriate Rival. — Rosy salmon ; truss large ; flowers well 

 shaped. Very free bloomer. 



Prineess. — 13right rosy pink ; truss large. Promises to be a 

 good bedding variety. 



It will be perceived that I have not mentioned any Nosegay 

 varieties, for I cannot as yet school myself to admire them. 

 I admit that many of them are brilliant in colour, and that 

 there are, moreover, tints in them that have not as yet been 

 obtained in the Zonale section ; but I have never yet seen a 

 bed even of Stella or Cybister that pleased me when I came 

 to close quarters, however brilliant at a distance. The 



