66 WINTER GREENERIES AT HOME. 



Vaillant, bright scarlet, small, profusely blooming. 



De Fontaine, petals of yellow ground, edged with scar- 

 let, white, and crimson. 



Other varieties might be mentioned, but these are 

 probably more than you will need. Each member of the 

 group is a winter favorite with the florists, and is well 

 commended to your care. 



I make such " honorable mention " of Eoses and Carna- 

 tions, not only for their superior beauty, but because of 

 their actual service in my behalf. During two winters, 

 when my study had a southeastern exposure, they 

 bloomed abundantly under the very serious disadvantage 

 of a gas-light burning half the night. This was a favor 

 to me which has made them all the more my favorites. 

 I had not ventured to hope for much in a condition so 

 unnatural for plants ; and when the first Kose opened its 

 petals and diffused its fragrance, in the midst of one of 

 the fiercest snow-storms of the winter, it seemed a suf- 

 ficient compensation for all the care bestowed. But af- 

 terwards the flowers became more numerous than the 

 storms, and fully established the success of the experi- 

 ment. Of course, they may be expected to do quite as 

 well with you under better circumstances. 



As the habits of the study could not well be changed, 

 the variety of flowering plants then submitted to trial 

 was small, and the results were not all alike. A Fuchsia 

 speciosa, said to be one of the best for winter flowering, 

 put forth vigorous shoots, but dropped nearly all its 

 buds, affected doubtless by the gas. A fine, healthy 

 Passiflora cmrulea opened one of its wonderful flowers 

 near the beginning of winter, and thereafter had "noth- 

 ing but leaves." A few others gave more, or less of bloom, 

 namely, the Primula Sinensis, Begonia manicata, B. 

 Weltoniensis, Linaria Cymbalaria, Stevia compacta, 

 C al la, and Lily of the Valley. 



Presuming that your rooms have a more favorable con- 



