330 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 25, 1864. 



quantities reaching the latter rate), it will be seen that this 

 has become no unimportant branch of market-gardening. 

 It is a branch, moreover, that promises to extend. It is 

 only a few years since Strawberries began to be exported 

 southward at all ; but the demand is, we understand, very 

 keen, and even beyond the supply, and contracts to the ex- 

 tent of 30 tons have been already entered into for next 

 season, while some of the principal growers are considerably 

 extending the breadth they have under cultivation. Of the 

 Strawberries preserved by wholesale " curers " no inconsider- 

 able part are exported to the Continent, and some even to 

 India. — (Aberdeen Free Press.) 



ZONALE GEEANTUMS AT LINTON PAEZ. ; 



(Continued from page 306.) 



Class 4. — Geraniums with flowers of a cherry, ruby, or salmon 



colour; foliage plain or horseshoe-marked,. 



Rubens. — This old favourite is still deserving of cultivation, 

 as its habit of growth, free blooming, and general adapta- 

 bility to most situations give it a place in most collections. 

 It is slightly horseshoe-marked, the foliage at the same time 

 being downy. 



Ccemlea. — Foliage, medium horseshoe marking ; habit 

 rather upright ; flower-truss very good and well formed. It 

 possesses a brightness about it of which most of the others 

 in its class are deficient, and whether in a flower-bed or a 

 pot it may be pronounced one of the best Geraniums grown. 



Countess. — Somewhat like the last, but the individual 

 flowers are less perfectly formed, and less bright; in habit 

 of growth and freedom of flowering there is little to wish 

 for in it. 



Madame VAbbi.— Strong grower; slight horseshoe mark- 

 ing; flower approaching somewhat to a rose. With me, 

 however, it flowered late, but it may have been prevented 

 doing so earlier from other causes than its own disinclina- 

 tion to flower. 



Hector. — Habit good; dark horseshoe marking; flowers 

 produced freely, of a pretty rosy salmon colour. Not being 

 sufficiently tried I cannot say more than that it promises 

 well. 



Rose Perfection. — This scarcely belongs to this class, its 

 flower being a sort of happy medium between rose and pink. 

 It is one of the very strongest of all growers, and in the past 

 season bloomed ?-emarkably well. The habit is upright, and 

 the foliage only faintly marked with the horseshoe. 



Conqueror of Europe. — Foliage with a darkly-marked horse- 

 shoe; flowers a sort of cherry salmon, of good form and 

 habit. The plant is promising, but receiving it late in the 

 season I cannot speak positively as to its merits. 



Ratazzi. — Nosegay. Slightly marked with a horseshoe. 

 Like most of its class it flowers freely, and will no doubt 

 answer well as a bedder. 



Class 5. — Flowers scarlet ,- foliage either plain or but slightly 

 marked with the horseshoe. 



Punch. — Foliage slightly downy; habit strong and erect 

 rather than spreading; flower-spikes well elevated above 

 the foliage. A well-known variety, much grown and ap- 

 preciated ; it is much taller than Tom Thumb and others of 

 ■ that class, although much less than the next variety. 



Mrs. Mayler. — A very strong grower, with immense trusses 

 of bloom on long and stout flower-stems. It is of the same 

 class as used formerly to be known as the Giant, Smith's 

 Emperor, Sol, and I believe other names. It is better 

 adapted for growing against a wall than for a bed, although 

 a few plants of this surrounded by dwarfer ones answer 

 very well, its very strong stems rushing up to a great height 

 when they are protected. 



Sutton's Perfection, called also, I believe, Attraction, is a 

 somewhat strong grower, though much less so than those pre- 

 viously mentioned. It is one of the very best bloomers, and 

 the trusses are large and fine ; but with me this past season 

 it was late — a fault I never before had to find with it, and 

 for which I cannot account. Most growers admire it, and 

 it is equally at home in a pot under glass. 



Tom Tlmmh. — Notwithstanding all that has been said in 

 favour of others, this is still unquestionably the most popular 

 Geranium of the day. I am, however, convinced that there 

 are more varieties than one cultivated under the name of 



Tom Thumb, and where the spurious or inferior one exists it 

 is quite possible other kinds may excel it. The foliage of 

 Tom Thumb approaches nearly to what I have on more than 

 one occasion stated to be what I want in a bedding Gera- 

 nium — i. e., a clear bright green, free from horseshoe mark- 

 ings, and also from that downines3 which gives a dull colour 

 to the foliage, and which in some respects detracts from the 

 merit of Christine and other varieties. 



Royal Dwarf. — Somewhat like the last, but a less abundant 

 bloomer, and instead of being dwarfer than Tom Thumb it 

 is a more robust grower. It is, however, not by any means 

 of a gross habit, but blooms and flowers well, and deserves 

 a place with those who delight in a multitude of names. 



Little David. — Dwarfer than Tom Thumb, very free bloomer, 

 and well adapted for vases. It is of the same habit as Tom 

 Thumb, and, like it, deserving of better treatment than some 

 of the shy bloomers. Little David deserves a place in the 

 most limited collection. 



Crystal Palace Scarlet. — This, which I had also under the 

 name of Trentham Scarlet, is of the Tom Thumb class, the 

 foliage being a bright green ; perhaps, however, the plant is 

 a little more upright-growing, but this is a questionable 

 qualification ; and some growers of this variety insist that 

 it is identical with what they have grown for years as Tom 

 Thumb. The difference here is not sufficiently marked for 

 me to say with certainty that it is distinct from that well- 

 known variety, which I have had nearly twenty years. I 

 would, however, advise all growers to try Crystal Palace 

 Scarlet, and ascertain whether it is really distinct from and 

 an improvement on Tom Thumb. 



Class 6. — Flowers scarlet ; foliage more or less marked with 

 tlie horseshoe. 



Queen of England. — Marking very dark ; strong grower, 

 somewhat upright; fine truss. Better for pots than for 

 bedding-out, excepting for the centre of beds, or where a 

 tall upright plant is wanted. 



Compactum. — Marking very dark. This old kind seems 

 to be eclipsed by others of its class, therefore I cannot 

 recommend it, as I intend discontinuing its use after the 

 present year. 



Marvel. — Horseshoe marking only slightly shown ; habit 

 of plant good ; flowers pale scarlet ; petals large and fine. 

 Standing the sun tolerably well, and being of a distinct 

 tint from the bulk of our Scarlets, it promises to be a 

 favourite. 



Scarlet Globe. — Foliage slightly marked with horseshoe; 

 habit strong and pretty good j flowers with a white eye, but 

 in general they are small for so vigorous a plant, and not 

 being remarkable as a pot plant, it may be discarded. 



Blazer. — This is one of the Zonale class, having the mark- 

 ings composed of two or more colours, a class at one time 

 expected to become fashionable ; but having failed to pro- 

 duce a good effect in the flower garden, and those hitherto 

 presented to us being somewhat leggy and ungainly for pot 

 culture, they have latterly ceased to be noticed. Another 

 feature they present seems also to be no particular qualifica- 

 tion, the flower-stem is often white and semi-transparent. 

 The flowers of this variety have a white eye, and as a scarlet 

 are not without merit ; but the irregular growth of the plant 

 disqualifies it for all symmetrical work in flower-beds. 



British Flag. — Fellow to the last-named, perhaps a little 

 more robust, and the trusses of bloom a shade darker. 



Adonis. — Dark horseshoe marking; flowers pretty good, 

 light scarlet, somewhat like Marvel ; habit good. It promises 

 well, but not having many plants I cannot s^peak with cer- 

 tainty as to its merits. 



Vivid. — I am somewhat uncertain whether the variety 

 which we have under this name is true, it having a slight 

 horseshoe marking. The habit is strong and somewhat 

 upright ; flowers in a large truss, bright, fine, and good. 



Prince Imperial. — Of more dwarf habit than most of this 

 class, and consequently better adapted both for beds and 

 potting; flower-truss good, bright scarlet. One of the best 

 of this section. 



Stella. — This popular variety is more of a crimson than a 

 scarlet, but is nevertheless often planted as one of the latter, 

 and as such may be classed here. Of its merits it is need- 

 less to speak, as it shone pre-eminent in most of the public 

 gardens around London, when it was put in competition 



