300 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



at the Crystal Palace ; from this depend festoons of the same 

 geranium, about six feet in width. The spaces are filled in with 

 Waltham Seedling geranium, a fine crimson flowered Nosegay, and 

 Christine geranium alternately. Outside the first festoons are bands 

 of Iresiue Lindeni, and next to this bands of Golden Feather, form- 

 ing three distinct series of festoons. In the angles of the festoons 

 formed by the Golden Feather are diamond-shaped blocks of blue 

 Lobelias, enclosed with a band of the yellow-leaved plant last men- 

 tioned. Outside of this is an irregular band of Alternanthera mag- 

 nifica, and in its widest part are narrow strips of Leucophyton 

 Browni, a white-leaved plant of a distinct character, effective, but 

 peculiar in its requirements, and for amateurs will not be found so 

 useful as some otner things. Next to the grass is a single line of 

 Echeveria secunda glauca, which forms a fitting finish to the border, 

 and in its tone of colour balaaces the variegated geraniums at the 

 back. 



The promenade beds on the terrace are coloured more effectively 

 than last year ; the colouring is rich without being overpowering, 

 and uniform without being monotonous. The beds throughout the 

 length of the walk have a marginal line of Robert Fish geranium, a 

 golden-leaved variety, neat and eifective in colour. Kight and left 

 of the walk the beds are planted as follows: — The first has a central 

 block of Gem calceolaria, the best yellow bedding variety in culti- 

 vation, enclosed with a baud of Purple King verbena ; the second bed 

 a block of scarlet geraniums, enclosed with a band of Countess of 

 Warwick geranium, and the third pink geranium, enclosed with a 

 band of Coleus Verschafielti. This order of planting is repeated in 

 both series of beds. The scarlet geraniums employed are Murillo, 

 Prince Arthur, and Duchess of Sutherland ; and the pink varieties 

 Amaranth, Cleopatra, Pink May Queen, Maid of Kent, and Christine ; 

 the three first mentioned being the best. 



In the chain beds in the sunken panels on the terrace an ex- 

 ceedingly good efl'ect has been produced by planting variegated 

 geraniums and Viola Perfection in alternate lines, as the blue 

 flowers of the latter contrast so well with the white foliage of the 

 former. The two large beds at the foot of the steps at the south 

 end of the terrace have bands of the above-mentioned viola, which 

 throughout the summer has been solid with bloom, and conse- 

 quently very effective. The soil at the Crystal Palace appears to 

 suit violas, and the season has also been favourable to them. 



The Crystal Palace Fruit Show, Sept. 7 to 9, was fairly successful. 

 The entries in the majority of the classes were exceedingly numerous, and the pro- 

 ductions mostly of excellent quality. The chief feature of the exhibition was the 

 display of hardy fruits, comprising Apples, Fears, Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines. 

 The Grapes and Pine-apples were in no way remarkable in point of quality, and 

 the entries were not numerous as compared with those in the other classes. There 

 were, however, a few good examples of skilful cultivation in the classes for these 

 fruits. Gladioli were the only flowers for which prizes were offered, and they were 

 remarkably fresh and good. 



