BEDDING PLANTS. 341 



artificial character wkich demands sach gratification. A well- 

 grown specimen makes a pretty ornament for the window or 

 the green- house, giving a pleasing variety when mingled with 

 the prevailing green. Yet the Yaricgated-leaved sorts are mostly 

 slow growers, and make considerable demands upon our patience 

 before they attain the size of fine specimen plants. 



The doubles do not yet take the place as bedders that they 

 may eventually be hoped to fill. Thus far the plants have too 

 vigorous a style of growth in proportion to the number of trusses 

 of bloom, and do not make that blaze in the bed which we can 

 obtain with singles. The quality which they certainly possess 

 of retaining the flowers longer, and the absence of the unsightly 

 seed-pods, which so soon disfigure the singles, give promise of 

 value as bedders when the rampant habit of growth shall have 

 been made to give way to greater abundance of bloouL But as 

 pot plants they are beautiful additions to our floral wealth, 

 blooming quite freely when once the pot has become filled with 

 roots and the over-luxuriance of growth checked for want of 

 fuller root room. 



The Ivy-leaved varieties have been much improved of late 

 years. We now have some with beautiful sUver or golden-edged 

 leaves and pure white flowers borne in large trusses, and_ some 

 with the thick-leaved habit of the class, but producing much 

 larger blossoms of a deep violet-rose color, or delicate rosy pink. 

 These are particularly ornamental in vases and hanging baskets, 

 from their peculiar trading habit of growth, or when treated as 

 climbers and trained upon some support. They are of easy cul- 

 ture and patient under varying treatment. 



All these varieties of Geranium are easily propagated from 

 cuttings, which strike readily in sand without much bottom heat. 

 New varieties are raised from seed, and the field is one of great 

 interest. Canadian amateurs should produce as fine varieties as 

 any imported, and they will, as soon as they give careful atten- 

 tion to selection and cross-fertilization. 



The soil in which Geraniums are bedded should be made 



