FLORICULTURE. 255 



Foliage beds are best adapted to large lawns. They should be raised 

 rather higher in the center than other beds. A magnificent effect is pro- 

 duced by a foliage bed 14 feet in width, raised 4 feet in the center, planted 

 with first, in the center, three castor oil beans, set at equal distances 

 from one another; next, two rows of cannas, next, one row of caladiums, 

 next one row of Verschaffelti coleus, and last a border of one row of cen- 

 taurea or Dusty Miller. Smaller beds can be made with good effect from 

 the same lraterial. 



Very showy foliage beds are made of coleus, using only the two kinds 

 named, the Verschaffelti, a rich, dark brown, and Fair Oaks, a bright, 

 golden yellow. With these two colors are planted all kinds of figures. As 

 an example of arrangement, a beautiful effect is produced by a star- 

 shaped bed, the star formed of yellow coleus, with a border all around of 

 the brown, and an edging of centaurea or cinararia maritima. 



Geranium beds. There are a great many kinds of geraniums, but only 

 a few well adapted to bedding, of which those before named are the best. 

 To obtain the most pleasing effects, plant only one kind in a bed, with a 

 single row around the edge of sweet alyssum, or any other one of the bor- 

 der plants previously named. 



The alternanthera is a very dwarf-growing foliage plant in several 

 colors, used mostly for working figures or letters on the lawn, producing 

 a very nice effect if kept properly sheared. 



Pansies and verbenas show best in beds by themselves. Beds of the 

 former should be replaced after midsummer by some other plant. 



Beds for growing cut flowers should be made of mixed plants. One to 

 hold 100 plants might have in the center three heliotropes, six fever- 

 fews, four white marguerites, four assorted carnations, and three rose 

 geraniums, all mixed together as much as possible; next around these, 

 forty assorted geraniums, double and single, mixed together; and for the 

 outside of the bed. verbenas of assorted colors. Such a bed would be 

 very attractive and furnish a good variety of cut flowers. 



For long, narrow beds, along a walk, a fence, etc., technically called 

 "borders," use in the center row well mixed together, dahlias, marigolds, 

 gladiolus, salvia splendens, hollyhock, helianthus, or other high plants, 

 placed 18 to 24 inches apart, and in the outside rows, low plants like ver- 

 benas, phlox Drummondi, dwarf nasturtiums, etc., at 8 to 12 inches 

 apart. 



The description of different beds might be continued at great length, 

 but instead the reader is asked to apply the general principles above out- 

 lined, and select from the infinite variety of attractive forms and com- 

 binations possible within the limits of good taste and pleasing effects. 



THE CARNATION. 

 By F. G. Gould, Excelsior. 



(Bead before the State Florists Association.) 



The carnation pink has come into commercial importance in our 



country during the past thirty years. It is scarcely twenty years since 



its culture for florists' use began. The great improvement in the size of 



the flower, together with its grateful fragrance, bright colorings, and 



