340 BEDDING PLANTS. 



well known to need particular description, and are highly appre- 

 ciated as summer ornaments of the flower garden. There is now 

 a great Tariety. Some are grown almost exclusively on account 

 of the many-colored variegation of the leaves, others because of 

 the great hriUiancy and abundance of the flowers. Some excel 

 Bs plants for culture in pots, others are more particularly adapted 

 for the open flower-bed, and yet others have a trailing habit that 

 gives them great value for cultivation in hanging baskets and 

 vases. They are all among the more hardy of our tender plants,- 

 enduring the chilly spring weather, if suitably prepared for it by 

 gradual exposure, and not killed by the first autumnal frost. 

 They are also patient under house treatment, and bear well 'the 

 variations of temperature to which plants in the window are 

 usually subjected. 



Geraniums have been divided into many classes by florists, 

 and in the endeavor to group those most nearly aKke together, it 

 is necessary that the names given to the several classes be some- 

 what arbitrary. Hence we term many Geraniums "Zonals" 

 that have no zonal marking, but whose leaves are a plain green ; 

 and now, by the operations of the hybridist, the difference 

 between the " Nosegay " section and the " Zonal " is fast dis- 

 appearing. For these reasons we have grouped the several 

 classes under four heads, the less to confuse the reader, and name 

 them respectively Zonal and Ifosegay, Variegated-leaved, Ivy- 

 leaved, and Double. 



The Zonal and Nosegay division comprises those most gene- 

 rally used for bedding out, though some from the Variegated- 

 leaved and the Doubles are used for this purpose, with somewhat 

 varying success. Of the Variegated-leaved varieties, those having 

 a green leaf with silver markings answer best for bedding, while 

 those known as " Tricolored " and " Gold and Bronze," have not 

 seemed to be able to endure our hot summer suns. We say 

 seem, because experiment with these has been limited, either 

 because the little trial that has been made has not been encour- 

 aging, or because the taste of our cultivators has not been of that 



