THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 39 



neat compact habit, produces good trusses of nicely-formed flowers, 

 and the colour is a very bright scarlet, although a few shades less 

 rich than some few varieties that could be mentioned. It blooms 

 freely and continuously, and it resists the eflPects of a little rough 

 weather, better than the majority of varieties. This may be 

 considered the best of all the scarlets for bedding. For a deep 

 crimson take Crimson King, which is rather more robust than the 

 preceding, but it produces a profusion of fine trusses of deep crim- 

 son flowers. The best of the light red varieties is Lucius, which is 

 rather robust, and well adapted for back rows and the centre of large 

 beds. The trusses are usually very large, and the colour a bght orange 

 red. Warrior is another strong grower; andis specially adapted fordry 

 sandv soils : the trusses are large, and the colour a bright fiery scarlet. 

 Amongst white varieties, White Clipper is unquestionably the best for 

 general purposes, but as it is comparatively new, it commands a rather 

 higher price than some of the most popular of the older kinds. 

 White Wonder still remains one of the best of the older kinds, none 

 of which, it may be said, are as good as could be wished. As 

 regards pink varieties, Cleopatra may be safely put down as the best; 

 it "has the neat habit and free-flowering qualities of Christine, is 

 richer in colour and produces very few seeds. Mrs. Uahhurton is 

 also in the way of Christine, but brighter in colour and in every Avay 

 better. There is now no lack of good pink bedders, but these are 

 indispensable, and should be grown by every one. 



Several of the nosegays are quite invaluable. Bonfire is the first 

 to claim attention, for it surpasses in richness of efi"ect Stella, IValtham 

 Seedling, and all the others of that class, whilst it is equal to the best 

 of them in adaptability to all soils and situations. The trusses are 

 of great size, and the flowers of a rich crimson scarlet. 



Anna Pfitzev is rather dwarf, very neat and compact, and pro- 

 duces contiiiuously a profusion of flower trusses of the most bril- 

 liant orange scarlet. It is unquestionably the best of the colour, 

 which by the way is very telling. The varieties with purple-cnmson 

 flowers, are mostly of robust liabit, and the best of them is Lady 

 Kirkland, which is well adapted for large beds or back rows. The 

 richest pink in the section is Mrs. Holden, a superb variety of medium 

 o-rowth, and wonderfully free flowering. Hibberd's Feast of Uoses is 

 the best of the pinks for large beds and borders. Tiose Bradwardine 

 is also a valuable variety, witii neat trusses of warm rose-pink flowers. 

 Violet Hill Nosegay is perhaps the best of the nosegays as regards 

 habit, and is very free flowering ; but the flowers are of a dark salmon 

 red colour, and it is, therefore, less eff'ective than the scarlet varieties. 



CONSEUVATOEY Vaeieties are those which have flowers of good 

 form and neat habit. It is important to select varieties that have 

 flowers of better quality than those grown in the flower-garden, and 

 bloom freelv for a very considerable period. Some varieties produce 

 a grand display of flowers for a short time and then go out of bloom, 

 and are of very little service during the remaining part of the season. 

 Tliese are of very little use for the conservatory, unless a reserve 

 stock is maintained, from which to renew them as they go out of 

 bloom. Arago, Corsair, Harry King, and Richard Headly, are ioi^y 



February. 



