CHAPTER XXVII 



GERANIUMS AND PELARGONIUMS 



If I were asked to name the one flower best 

 adapted to general culture I would most unhesitatingly 

 name the Geranium as that flower. It is of the easiest 

 culture. It succeeds under the most unfavorable condi- 

 tions. It blooms continuously and profusely, and its 

 colors are wonderfully rich and varied. We have no 

 plant able to give a grander display in the greenhouse, 

 during the greater part of the year, and what it can 

 do in the greenhouse it is perfectly willing to do in 

 the window garden. All it asks is good soil, water 

 enough to keep its roots moist, but never wet, plenty 

 of sunshine and immunity from frost: It stands heat, 

 dry air, and frequent and sudden changes of temper- 

 ature as no other plant does. Anybody can grow it, 

 and everybody ought to grow it. The newer varieties 

 are magnificent. A group of these is seen in Fig 25. 

 Those named in the list below have been selected from 

 the best of recent introduction, and are the very finest 

 of their class, and far superior to the older sorts com- 

 monly grown. They include varieties having flowers 

 of the highest perfection of form, size and richness of 

 color, freedom of bloom and general excellence as to 

 habit. Any of them will be a revelation to those who 

 have been growing the old kinds. 



Chateaubriand Scarlet, shaded with maroon and 

 veined with black. 



Daumiere Rosy lilac, blotched with white and 

 spotted with violet. 



Lord Kitchener Soft scarlet and cherry red. 



Mary Pelton Salmon. A lovely flower. 



