CHAPTER XIX. 



The Geranium. 



The improvement in the Geranium by English and American florists, both in 

 the size of the individual flower, or their clusters, or their foliage, are really 

 wonderful when compared with the flowers of fifteen years ago. 



Frequently the single flower is now as large as a silver quarter of a dollar, 

 and the trusses will often measure over six inches in diameter, while colors are 

 seen from the purest white to most delicate rose, brilliant scarlet, richest crim- 

 son, loveliest salmon-color, and striped pink and white. 



The foliage is also much improved ; it is margined with gold or silver, zoned 

 with chocolate, white, black, crimson, aud gold, and in a few choice varieties, 

 like Lady Cullum and Madame Pollock; nearly all these colors may be seen i 

 one separate leaf. 



Their habits are also changed from the straggling growth of former times, to 

 dwarf, compact shrubs, which are in perfect shape. 



The florist's skill has taken still another step, and produced the Double Flow- 

 ered Geranium, whose individual flowers are double as a Chrysanthemum, and 

 do not drop their petals as the single varieties, but each flower withers on its 

 stem ; and by cutting it off the other flowers fill its place, and the beauty of the 

 cluster is preserved for a long season. These varieties run through the same 

 series of colors as single species, although a pure nowy white has not yet been 

 produced, but a peach blossom variety shows that the white will soon appear. 



The flower clusters are often enormous sixty flowers having been produced 

 on one truss and they are exceedingly beautiful for bouquets, baskets, and 

 vases. 



With the other improvements have come a Lilliputian variety with smaller 

 foliage, and a compact, dwarf growth, very vigorous in habit, while the flowers 

 equal in beauty those of the taller varieties. 



The Ivy-leaved species have yielded to the effects of hybridizing with the 

 Zonale class, and the results are great improvements in the foliage, variegating 

 the leaves with yellow, pink and white, while the flowers have increased in size 

 and color, and approach nearer to those of the Zonales. 



The sweet-scented Geraniums have also increased in number, and a variegated 

 ""caved Rose Geranium has been introduced whose foliage is very attractive. 



These different varieties are propagated by seeds and cuttings chiefly. The 

 seeds require sandy soil and warmth to veget&te, but will sometimes spring up 

 of themselves in the open ground. 



