TROPAEOLUM 



91 



seeds of a dozen or fifteen varieties along a rather dry border 

 containing bulbs ; the seeds were placed about 10 inches 

 apart, and each variety occupied a run of about three yards. 

 My son, aetat. ten, amused himself by pushing each seed 

 from one to two inches deep in the soil, and this method of 

 sowing was followed by a rough raking over. The result was 

 excellent, and the display was a brilliant one right up to the 

 first frost, for the outlay of a few pence. Germination is so 

 certain that there is no need to sow thickly, indeed such a 

 proceeding is a waste of time and money. 



Tropaeolum minus {Geraniacece) is the parent of the dwarf 

 Nasturtiums — and it is as Nasturtiums that the plants are best 

 known. Listed as Tom Thumb varieties, the following are 

 all meritorious : Aurora, buff, pink, and carmine ; Crystal 

 Palace Gem, yellow and maroon ; Cloth of Gold, yellow, with 

 golden-green foliage ; Coeruleum Roseum, rose with bluish 

 shade ; Empress of India, crimson-scarlet, dark foliage ; 

 Chameleon, yellow, to soft crimson ; King Theodore, dark 

 crimson ; Ladybird, scarlet and yellow ; Pearl, creamy- 

 white ; Scarlet King, vivid scarlet; Fire King, orange-scarlet; 

 Ruby King, ruby-red ; and Vesuvius, orange and crimson. 

 The Lilliput race forms dainty little bushes, and gives 

 flowers of various colours. Messrs. Stark & Son, Great 

 Ryburgh, have brought a variegated-leaved race of dwarfs to 

 perfection, and these have flowers of several bright shades ; 

 the variegation is distinct and attractive. 



The tall or cHmbing varieties have descended from 

 Tropaeolum maj'us, and they are valuable for quickly covering 

 fences, screens, arches and similar structures, and look well 

 when several are planted together to form a clump, pea sticks 

 being used for their support. Some of the leading varieties 

 are : Black Prince, deep crimson, dark foliage ; Crimson and 

 Gold, pale yellow and gold, with spots of crimson ; Fairy 

 Queen, pink and yellow ; Salmon Queen, salmon-pink ; Pearl, 

 cream-white ; Ruby King, ruby-red ; and Sunlight, yellow. 



