September 20, 1864. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



231 



tlie sweet moist taste of the half-ripened Pea. So much is 

 this the case, that we have sometimes wondered that our 

 epicures do not malt their old Peas to make them soft and 

 sweet again for the table. Sow the Peas as soon as ripened, 

 and they will soon germinate vigorously ; keep them for a 

 year or two, and they will germinate more slowly and more 

 weakly. Dry them very much when thinly spread out to a 

 bright spring sun, and the seeds of last autumn will sprout 

 little more vigorously than older Peas. Dry them still 

 more in sunlight, and the carbon may be so consolidated 

 that the application of moisture will cause rottenness to 

 ensue instead of germination. Dry fresh young Melon seeds 

 especially in the sun for a fortnight, and you will get the 

 slower germination that takes place with older seeds. Dry 

 them still more, and the vital germ may be unable to find 

 any sugar out of the consolidated starch and albumen. Old 

 seeds, therefore, require more care at the germinating 

 period. The moisture that would suit a fresh seed would 

 at once in an old seed produce rottenness and decay. Old 

 seeds thoroughly indurated should be allowed to absorb 

 moisture gradually. We have sown two pots of Melon seeds 

 from the same packet, and taken from the same Melon four 

 years previously. In the one pot we used soil slightly damp, 

 and gave no water until the seeds were swelling; and the 

 other pot we watered a day after the seeds were sown. In 

 the first case almost every seed grew, in the latter case not 

 a single seedling. 



We might go on and yet not explain the matter more. 

 Without referring to man, we might instance the animals 

 generally reared for human food. The breeders act on the 

 same principle, though applying it differently. A quick 

 build of beef, mutton, or pork is their object, and to secure 

 this the animals are well fed from the commencement of 

 their existence. The gardener would do the same with a 

 Melon plant if his object were mere growth of plant, bulk 

 of stems and leaves ; but as early fruit is his object, he 

 rather lessens excessive vigour of growth, and old or well 

 dried seeds give him a weaker and stubbier young plant to 

 start with. — E< Pish.] 



QUALIFICATIONS OE SCAELET GEEANIUMS 

 FOE BEDDING. 



According to the definitions laid down by your able cor- 

 respondent Mr. Eobson as to the qualifications desirable in 

 a Scarlet Geranium for bedding, it would seem as if he held 

 the old Tom Thumb to be a criterion of merit in a bedder of 

 these varieties. In fact, every property he names is at pre- 

 sent almost exclusively inherent in that variety. 



As Mr. Eobson invites criticism, I am happy to second 

 what he says in relation to habit, but I must differ entirely 

 from him in respect to foliage. A shining deep green leaf 

 is possessed by few Geraniums, except Tom Thumb. Crystal 

 Palace Scarlet is the nearest approach to it, but this has a 

 white-eyed flower, with faint traces of a zone or horseshoe. 

 Little David is another near approach to Mr.. Eobson' s 

 standard, and the same may be said of Punch, but the habit 

 is not so close as desirable : hence it is only suitable for large 

 feeds. Harkaway is another near approach to the standard ; 

 but the nearest that I can conceive is Lamartine, which is a 

 good flower and a first-class bedder, but lacks the deep scarlet 

 of Tom Thumb. Petit Mont Eouge very nearly approaches 

 the standard, it being quite as compact in habit, if not more 

 so, than Tom Thumb, with large flowers of a deep scarlet. 

 Lady Middleton and Le Titiens have finely-formed flowers, 

 and are of a fine compact habit ; but the colours being rosy 

 scarlet are undesirable ; and the same may be said of Lord 

 John Eussell, though its scarlet is deeper than the rosy 

 scarlet of the last two. 



Except Christine, Eose Queen, and Eoseum Compactum, 

 which are rose-pink-flowered, there are really no Geraniums 

 with plain foliage, without horseshoe zones, that are worthy 

 of a place as bedding Geraniums. In fact, I think the horse- 

 shoe marking a decided improvement, for I have found it 

 very often heighten the effect. There are few Geraniums 

 which surpass Cottage Maid, and yet this is possessed of 

 -most bold zonate leaves, and has a bright white eye. Baron 

 Hugel labours under the same disadvantage (I am adopting 

 Mr. Eobsoris standard), and yet it is quite as effective as 



any of the plain-leaved Geraniums. Harry Hieover is 

 another which comes quite up to the point of merit in evevj 

 respect, except the horseshoe foliage and the reddish flower- 

 scapes. Princess of Prussia and Scarlet Perfection would be 

 all that could be desired^ but for their horseshoe markings. 

 Cerise Unique, with slightly zonate leaves, is the best of the 

 rosy scarlets, the nearest approach to it being Sheen Eival, 

 the flowers of which are of a brilliant cerise scarlet. Black- 

 heath Beauty, with faint yet distinctly zonate leaves and 

 pinkish blush flowers, is a good secondary-coloured Geranium, 

 and one susceptible of great improvement, which I hope 

 to see accomplished ere long. Lucien Tisserand, another 

 boldly zonate-leaved kind with a large finely-formed bright 

 scarlet flower, and Madame Budersdorff, carmine salmon, 

 margined with white, combining fine form with good habit, 

 are also of the horseshoe section. In Whites, also, the best 

 are found in the horseshoes. Again : take Stella, with which 

 no Geranium can compare, and Baron Eicasoli; the latter 

 shows the horseshoe marking more than any other Geranium, 

 whilst in Stella it is indistinct, and the flower about as far 

 from the standard of form as can be conceived. Greater 

 part of those named would be discarded were Mr. Eobson's 

 standard adopted ; and I should be loath to part with any of 

 the horseshoe-leaved kinds for any improved plain-leaved 

 variety of any colour. Except Tom Thumb, Crystal Palace 

 Scarlet, Punch, Lady Eokeby (a near approach to the stan- 

 dard), among Scarlets, Christine, and Eose Queen, I would 

 have nothing to do with any of the rest of the plain-leaved 

 kinds. 



As to the points themselves, I quite agree with those 

 relating to habit; but differ with Mr. Eobson in respect to 

 foliage, thinking as I do that the horseshoe marking is a 

 great advantage, enabling us to produce a greater variety 

 of contrast, and to place Geraniums in proximity with some 

 plants near which they would be inadmissible were the 

 foliage not distinct as well as the flowers. In order to 

 produce a pleasing effect it is necessary to study the con- 

 trasting of the foliage quite as much as the colours of the 

 flowers. I cannot perceive that we should gain anything, 

 but I am certain we would lose a great deal, by discarding 

 dark-zoned Geraniums ; and faint and reddish-zoned kinds, 

 as Stella of the former, and Sheen Eival of the latter, owe 

 much of their beauty and fitness for certain purposes through 

 the marking of their foliage alone. For instance : it enables 

 us to place plants nearly related in close proximity — nay, 

 immediate contact, with each other, and thus we attain 

 effect with a trifling alteration of materials. Nothing could 

 be more telling than a bed of Geraniums which I saw lately. 

 The centre was Cottage Maid encircled with a broad band 

 of Christine, edged with Golden Chain. It is in a great 

 measure the horseshoe markings of Cottage Maid that make 

 it so effective. I should be very sorry to lose it and Stella, 

 and would part with all others rather than them. I have 

 included Stella, which is an intermediate variety between 

 the Zonale and Nosegay, though more of the latter than 

 the former, and I think Mr. Eobson does not include the 

 Nosegays. 



As to the flower, I do not think there is reasonable ground 

 for the objection to a white eye; and as to their near ap- 

 proach to the properties of a good flower, the further are 

 they then from possessing that rare property in a bedding 

 plant — profusion of bloom. It is noticeable that whenever 

 a florist takes a " starry " flower in hand he makes it not fit 

 to be seen as a bedding plant. 



With the other remarks of Mr. Eobson I most cordially 

 agree, and hope the subject will be thoroughly ventilated, 

 and the merits of the varieties recorded in the pages of this 

 Journal. It is a topic worthy of the attention of practical 

 gardeners and those interested in this most popular of bed- 

 ding plants. — G. Abbey. 



STEAWBEEEIES, EOSES, AND PEACHES. 

 It is in critical seasons that you find out what are the 

 best Strawberries and Eoses to have. I have received a 

 letter from an amateur in Yorkshire, living in the fine vale 

 of Mowbray, who confirms my recommendations given to 

 him, and also to the public by the press. It is pleasing to 

 me, who can have no private interest to serve, to find that 



