SCARLET GERANIVM. •'■f* 



ere the florists took it in hand for the purpose of improv- 

 ing it for hortipultural purposes. The results, however, of 

 their more recent labours are really amongst the wonders 

 of invention, and illustrate in the most striking manner 

 the doctrines of evolution that are now generally accepted 

 by men of science. A pelargonium is distinguished by one 

 conspicuous sign, as well as by many that are inconspicuous. 

 The petals are never of the same size, and usually the two 

 topmost are much larger than the other three. But the 

 florists have aimed at the obliteration of this distinguishing 

 character, perfect symmetry being one of their main re- 

 quirements in a flower of this kind ; and they have succeeded 

 in enlarging the lower petals so that thoy equal those above 

 them, in size, and they have also caused the flower to fill 

 out, so that in place of the windmill we have a close disc, 

 the petals being so broad as to overlap, and so smooth 

 and equal that the flower rather appears to be formed of 

 one piece than of five separate pieces, that were formerly 

 separate and visibly independent. We will not discuss the 

 propriety of the proceeding, but declare ourselves as alto- 

 gether in favour of the florists'' work, and being in no way 

 ashamed to confess that we have played our part in the 

 performance, and secured very many splendid varieties of 

 zonals, with smooth, circular flowers, formed of stout, over- 

 lapping petals, so symmetrical and compact as to suggest 

 to the casual eye a perfect disc of one piece only. 



The cultivation of the zonals is pretty well understood, 

 and the plants are so accommodating that they submit to 

 the most diverse conditions, save that five degrees of frost 

 is the utmost in the way of cold that they can endure. 

 But they love sunshine, though they never need a rich soil, 

 and any excess of moisture at any time of the year causes 



