FLOWER GARDENING 113 



Geraniums. Tender perennial. Height eight 

 to twenty-four inches. Variety of colors. This 

 is a greenhouse or parlor plant, and is only con- 

 sidered here because of its value as a bedding 

 plant, for masses of color, borders, and edging. 

 These can be grown from seeds, but are more 

 satisfactory when grown from rooted cuttings. 

 For bedding, use bright colors, such as General 

 Grant, orange-scarlet, single, and S. A. Nutt, bril- 

 liant crimson-scarlet, double. These are espe- 

 cially good for bedding, and are a type of the 

 best class for bedding purposes. For edging, try 

 Madame Saleroi; bright green leaves edged with 

 white, and of dwarf habit. 



Gladiolus. Tender bulbs. Height two to three 

 feet or even more. A great variety of colors. 

 Used for cut flowers. Generally grown from ma- 

 ture bulbs. It requires a year for bulblets, size 

 of a pea, to reach blooming size. 



Fine bulbs of blooming size can be obtained 

 from florists and seedsmen. Plant the bulbs six 

 inches apart, and four inches deep. Planting 

 should begin about the middle of April, and be 

 continued at intervals till the first of June. This 

 will give constant bloom till frost. If planted 

 too shallow, they are apt to break down. This 

 may be avoided by tying each stalk to a light 

 stake before the break-down occurs. Deep plant- 

 ing helps. 



Great improvement in varieties has been made 

 in the last few years. For varieties try Amer- 

 ica, pink, Augusta, white, Canary Bird, yellow, 

 Princeps, scarlet. Gladioli do especially fine on. 

 the Modified Sandwich Beds. The name of this 



