THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 113 



of service Lave expressed a wish for a similar selection of tricolors 

 and others grown for the beauty of their foliage. The selection will 

 be as brief as possible, and amongst the names of those recommended 

 for bedding purposes, will be found many that are now well-known, 

 for some of those first introduced are still unsurpassed by the best of 

 the varieties distributed more recently. There is, for example, Mrs. 

 Pollock, which was the first of the golden zonals raised, and it may 

 be safely said that it is still one of the best. 



In the trial of geraniums in the Chiswick gardens of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, in 1873, which included several hundred 

 varieties, it was considered by the committee to be one of the very 

 best of its class. I have, in fact, been careful to include the newer 

 varieties only which supersede those of anterior date. For the 

 convenience of the reader I have grouped the several varieties ac- 

 cording to their class. 



Golden Zonals. — These are not of so much value in the flower 

 garden, as the varieties in the bronze zonal and golden-leaved sec- 

 tion, for when seen from a little distance, the colours are so blended 

 that they lack decisiveness ; several of these are very beautiful when 

 grown in pots, but there is such a great sameness, that it is most 

 difficult to select a few that are really distinct. In selecting six for 

 pots, I should recommend I^dward RicJiard Benyon, Gem of Tri- 

 colors, Peter Grieve, John Doimiie, Mr. Butter, and MachetJi. 

 For bedding, the last mentioned varieties, Louisa Smith, Victoria 

 Begina, and 3£rs. Pollock are the best. 



Silver Zonals, when nicely grown, are very pretty in pots, but 

 they are of very little value for the flower garden. Six are quite 

 sufficient for pot culture, and those should be Mrs. Zai?ig,Zass 

 O'Ooivrie, Princess Beatrice, Miss Burdett Coutts, Charming Bride, 

 and Lady B. Brydges. For bedding, the only varieties required are 

 Italia Unita and Mabel Morris. 



Bronze Zonals are, when properly coloured, most efi'ective in pots, 

 and for bedding are invaluable. The best six for pots are Prince 

 Arthur, Mrs. Harrison Weir, MartcTial MacMahon, Peine Victoria, 

 Imperatrice Eugenie, and Princess of Wales. For bedding I should 

 recommend Golden Harry Hieover, Sybil, and The Moor for small beds 

 for edging purposes ; and Kentish Hero, Waltham Bron::e, aud Beauty 

 of Caulderdale for large beds and borders. The varieties belonging to 

 this class, whether in pots or planted out, must have full exposure, 

 or the leaves will soon become quite green, marked with a dull, 

 brownish zone. 



Golden-leaved. — These are adapted for bedding purposes only, 

 and in their way are quite unsurpassed in efi'ectiveness. The best 

 are Crystal Palace Gem (there are two varieties under this name, 

 one with plain leaves, and the other with green leaves margined with 

 yellow, and the plain leaved form is the best of these), Golden Fleece. 

 Creed's Seedling, and Uobert Fish. The last two are dwarf and moat 

 useful for edging purposes. 



Silver-edged. — The best of this class are Miss Kingsbury, 

 Princess Alexandra, Queen of Queens, Pearl, and Flower of Spring, 

 which are here placed in their order of merit. 



April. 8 



