NINETEENTH CENTURY 297 



most beautiful of this species : Anagallis grandi flora, Anagallis 

 Monelli, Heliotropium grandiflorum, Fuchsia coccinea, Lobelia 

 Erinus and unidentata, Hemimeris urtici/olia, Alstrcemeria 

 peregrina, Bouvardia triphylla, Geraniums of sorts, Lychnis 

 coronaria, Linum trigynum." Before long a large number of 

 plants was added to those first considered suitable for bedding 

 out. A correspondent addressed a question on the subject 

 to the editor of The Midland Florist in 1847. He wrote : " I 

 want to mass some flowers on circular beds which are cut out 

 on a grass plat. What will be best ?" In the next number 

 he received the reply : " The different varieties of Verbena, 

 Salvia, lobelia, Oenotheras, macrocarpa, and taraxacifolia, 

 Veronica speciosa, antirrhinums, mimuluses, etc." Many 

 annuals were used for bedding, and among them Balsams and 

 Cockscombs seem to have been most favoured. The periodical 

 just quoted also supplies a list of the twelve best annuals for 

 summer bedding in 1847. Except one — Convolvulus tricolor, 

 which was known to Parkinson — they were all of recent intro- 

 duction, and the majority had come from North America. 



Phlox Drummondi (1835). 



Erysimum Perofskianum (1838). 



Gilia tricolor (1833). 



Lupinus nanus (1833). 



Cacalia coccinea (introduced about 

 1799, but not generally culti- 

 vated) . 



Bartonia aurea (1834).^ 



Clarkia pulchella (1826) ; also 



C. elegans (1832). 

 Clintonia pulchella (1827). 

 Collinsia grandi flora (1826). 

 Convolvulus tricolor. 

 Nemophilia {sic) insignis (1833). 

 Sphenogyne speciosa (1836).^ 



The chief Verbenas were all introduced between 1827 and 

 1837, ^iid very soon many florists' varieties had been added 

 to their ranks, and, owing to the wide choice of colour they 

 presented, they were among the most popular of bedding-out 

 plants. It is curious to find a rather tender perennial. Plum- 

 bago Larpentce, which will, however, flourish on herbaceous 

 borders in all except the coldest counties, at one time much 

 used for bedding purposes. Robert Fortune had found it 

 growing on the ruined ramparts of Shanghai, but the seed he 

 sent home did not germinate, and it was afterwards obtained by 



^ These figures which I have added refer to the date of introduction 

 to England. 



^ Synonym, Ursinia speciosa. 



