174 Floricultural and Botanical Notices. 



resources, it is a matter of no slight difficulty to provide a 

 sufficiency of sorts containing the desired requisites for the 

 different seasons of the year. 



In proportioning the height of plants to the size of the 

 beds, the following rule appears to be tolerably correct : — 

 That the plants ought not to exceed six inches in height in a 

 bed eighteen inches wide, nor increase more than six inches 

 for every foot that the beds increase in width. 



The best time to determine upon future arrangements is 

 when the plants are in flower : as we can then observe the 

 suitability of each sort, and the effect of different combina- 

 tions, as also be enabled to judge of the effect of altera- 

 tions, either in heights or colors, and by making notes, and 

 sketching out rules for our future guidance, and at the same 

 time availing ourselves of every new variety or species that 

 may be suitable, we may then be enabled to progress in 

 improvement from year to year, without limitation. 



Hawthorn Grove, Dorchester, March 5, 1852. 



Art. V. Floricultural and Botanical Notices of New and 

 Beautiful Plants figured in Foreign Periodicals ; with 

 descriptions of those ititroduced to, or originated in, Amer- 

 ican Collections. 



New Scarlet Geraniums. — Few plants are so admirably 

 adapted for bedding out, or planting in masses in the border, 

 as the Scarlet geraniums. They flower profusely from June 

 until checked by the frost ; and the brilliant effect which 

 they produce is scarcely equalled by any other plants. Until 

 within a year or two, however, the kinds have been tall 

 or rambling growers, and less suited, from their gross habit, 

 to some situations in which they have been planted than the 

 verbenas. But this objection has been overcome ; through 

 the efforts of cultivators, a class of plants has been produced 

 from the old sorts, not only of a dwarf and compact habit, 



