TENDER BEDDING PLANTS 



THE Tulip mania is so far back as to be entirely a matter of 

 history, but many people who are still living can remember when 

 the bedding-plant craze was raging. Perhaps some of them may 

 contend that the word "craze" is somewhat too strong, urging that 

 the passion for special Zonal Pelargoniums ("Geraniums") never 

 ran so high, or took such extravagant shapes, as the Tulip rage. 

 Certainly we have not heard of people feverishly outbidding each 

 other, or of houses being bartered, for single plants, of speculation 

 as mad and excited as that which marked the South Sea Bubble; 

 and we have no objection to the substitution of the milder word 

 "obsession," if it is calculated to soothe the susceptibilities of 

 sensitive readers. 



ZONAL PELARGONIUMS ("GERANIUMS") 



Two-thirds of the way through the last century flower gardeners 

 were undoubtedly obsessed by the Geranium as a flower-garden 

 plant. It was the undisputed queen of the border. New varieties 

 were sought after eagerly by amateurs, and as a consequence they 

 became a valuable commercial commodity. Raisers gave as much 

 attention to them as they give to Sweet Peas, Roses, and Dahlias 

 at the present time. Prices ruled high, and the fortunate raiser of 

 a distinct and (as judged by the standards which ruled gardening 

 then) particularly valuable variety reaped a golden harvest. 



We are old enough to remember when the leading trade and 

 amateur florists clustered eagerly round a new variety of Geranium, 

 when an earnest committee of experts sat in solemn conclave con- 

 sidering its merits, when the greenhouses of the leading nurserymen 



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