PLANTS MOST IN DEMAND IN SPRING. 145 



ones that are hardy in this latitude, among which are the 

 Blush and Crimson Boursalt, Russell's Cottage, Prairie 

 Queen and Baltimore Belle. 



Of the monthly varieties of Climbing Roses there is a 

 greater variety of color, but none of these are sufficiently 

 hardy to stand our winters north of Richmond, Va. 

 Among the best of the Climbing Monthly Roses are : 

 The New Waltham, Gloire de Dijon, James Sprunt, 

 Mareschal Niel, Setina, Lamarque, Madam Berrard and 

 Cloth of Gold; these represent all colors. Descriptions 

 will be found in the catalogues. Next in importance as a 

 market plant, is the 



Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium zonale). Properly 

 called, if we followed strict botanical correctness, " Pe- 

 largonium." The true genus Geranium, being herba- 

 ceous perennial plants, natives of nearly all parts of 

 this country ; but common usage has dubbed the Zonale 

 Pelargonium " Geranium," both here and in England, 

 and it would only lead to confusion to use the true botan- 

 ical name now. Of this, the grandest of all our summer 

 flowering plants, or, for that matter, of winter flowering, 

 there are now hundreds of varieties under name, both 

 double, semi-double and single, running through all 

 shades from pure white to pink, to scarlet, to crimson, 

 in every gradation of shade. It is useless here to name 

 varieties ; the catalogues teem with new and improved 

 kinds each year, and we again refer the reader to these. 

 In our own business, we find the sale for Geraniums in- 

 creasing more rapidly than that of any other plant we 

 grow, particularly for the semi-double kinds, which 

 flower, many of them, quite as freely as the single kinds, 

 and have the merit of not dropping their petals when 

 cut or when dashed with rain. From the cuttings made 

 during winter, we repot and harden off our "stock " plants 

 in cold frames, so that we can with safety plant them 



