THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 19i 



VAEIEGATED PELARGONIUMS. 



J,HE "tricolor-leaved Geraniums," of which three out of 

 the four varieties figured are examples, are of com- 

 paratively recent introduction to our gardens; and they 

 afford the most conclusive and startling evidence obtain- 

 able of the power of art to alter the course of nature. 

 The first decisive step towards the establishment of variegated 

 Pelargoniums was taken in 1848, when Mr. Kinghorn raised from 

 Lee's Variegated Geranium the well-known Flower of the Day. 

 About 1850 the same raiser obtained Attraction and Countess of 

 Warwick, both of them true silver tricolors (though not then so 

 regarded), and forerunners of the now famous Italia Unita. 



Ambition was aroused, and many cross-breeders entered the 

 field ; amongst these, especial mention must be made of Mr. Haliey, 

 raiser of Burning Bush, a small-growing, silvery-leaved variety. In 

 1853, Mr. Peter Grieve, the most successful cultivator of this 

 branch of horticulture, and the raiser of Mrs. Pollock, began to 

 experiment. 



By crossing Flower of the Day with the pollen of Tom Thumb, 

 he raised a fine variegated variety (now discarded), called Culford 

 Beauty. Again he obtained Rainbow, a true silver tricolor. Pur- 

 suing his course in this enchanting enterprise, he succeeded in 

 raising, by systematic cross-breeding, the varieties known as Empress 

 of the French, Emperor of the French, and others. In 1855, he 

 began to consider the possibility of obtaining new varieties with 

 golden variegation ; and, accordingly, he applied the pollen of the 

 fine old bedding geranium, Golden Chain, to the blossoms of Cottage 

 Maid, and obtained Golden Tom Thumb and Golden Cerise Unique. 

 The next year blooms of the Emperor of the French were fertilized 

 with pollen of Golden Tom Thumb, and one of the results was Gold 

 Pheasant. 



In the two following years, that is in 1857-58, the pollen of 

 Gold Pheasant was applied to the blooms of Emperor of the French, 

 and the result was those two most celebrated of all the golden tri- 

 colors, Mrs. Pollock and Sunset. Subsequently, Mr. Grieve has 

 raised Lucy Grieve, Mrs. Benyon, Lady Cullum, Victoria Regina, 

 and a host of others equally celebrated. 



Here our story must end ; those who would know more of the 

 subject will find abundant information in the little " History of 

 'Variegated Zonal Pelargoniums," written by Mr. Grieve, and pub- 

 lished by Messrs. Blackwood. 



We have selected for the plate a group of varieties which may be 

 regarded as representiug the highest standard yet obtained in the 

 two classes of gold and silver tricolors, with the addition of one 

 representing the new reticulated-leaved class, the name of which 

 Aurora borealls, appropriately typifies its peculiar style of colouring 

 — lurid red, in lines, and suffusing the margin of an otherwise 

 bright green leaf. Peter Grieve is a golden tricolor, most perfect 

 in form and tinting, satisfying more nearly than any other the 



July. 19 



