THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 137 
in the morning is the best time for cutting; and if there is any pro- 
bability of a heavy rain during the night preceding the exhibition, 
they should be cut in the evening. One of the most essential points 
is to tastefully arrange the colours, and to keep the light flowers 
towards the outside of the stand; the largest blooms must be put in 
the back row, and as far as is practicable, the finest blooms should 
be distributed regularly over the stand. 
SELECTION OF VARIETIES.—For the names of the best varieties, 
it will suffice to refer my readers to pages 92 and 93 of the March 
number of the FLoran Wok xD, for a better fifty show flowers, or a 
peer thirty fancy flowers than those enumerated could not be 
ad. 
THE BEST BEDDING GERANIUMS. 
BY JOHN WALSH. 
ey EV ERAL very excellent selections of geraniums adapted 
Ce % for bedding purposes have appeared in the pages of the 
Sw7ea}} 4Firorat Worip within a comparatively recent period ; 
nevertheless it is again necessary to revert to these 
~~ flowers because of the constant influx of new varieties. 
During the last two years the number of new geraniums distributed 
has been very small, as compared with previous years, yet several 
notable additions have been made to the already lengthy list, and 
the majority of these are eminently suitable for the decoration of 
the flower garden. The list of pink bedders has been materially 
strengthened, and instead of its consisting of two or three that are 
thoroughly reliable, and several that do moderately well in some 
places, and fail in others, it comprises not less than a dozen that are 
most effective in colour and sure to do exceedingly well in ordinary 
soils and situations. A most marked advance has certainly been 
made in the pink varieties, and as they produce such a pleasing 
effect in combination with those bearing scarlet flowers, they should 
be planted more extensively than in the past. The White Zonals 
are not as yet so satisfactory as could be wished, and it may not be 
amiss to suggest to raisers that more attention should now be paid 
to their improvement. To afford the amateur all the help possible, 
I shall make the selection as brief as the exigencies of the case will 
admit, and I shall separate the sorts into two distinct classes, one to 
comprise those most suitable for heavy soils, and the other such as 
succeed satisfactorily on soils of a light character. This separation, 
to my mind, is very important; for the weak growers that do well 
on heavy soils become starved on those light in texture; and the 
strong growers which make a grand display on soils of the latter 
class, grow with tremendous vigour, and fail to bloom satisfactorily, 
when planted in strong loams or clays. 
I will first speak of the varieties specially suited for light soils, 
and those whose gardens rest upon sand, gravel, or chalk, may plant 
them with the full assurance of their producing a splendid display. 
May, 
