Round Red, and the Large Red,— the Tilden ripen- 

 ing within 48 hours of the Early Red,— the Early 

 Red being much the stronger plants when planted 

 out; in fact, the seed were sown 7 days before any 

 other variety, and only 48 hours before the Tilden 

 at maturity ; not more than two-thirds the size of 

 fruit ; not more than one-half the amount of crop. 

 The Tildens were very large and uniform, solid and 

 good flavor, and the greatest crops of all the lot. T 

 think Mr. Sinclair has not got the true Tilden ; if 

 he has, soil or location must make a great differ- 

 ence ; more so, as the distance from Baltimore is 

 not much. 



The Tilden is the best Tomato for the amateur or 

 the marketman that I know of, and I have tried 

 most all that have appeared before the public with- 

 in 10 years. 



BEDDIN(^ GERANIUMS. 



BY GEORGE SUCIli SOUTH AMBOY, N. J. 



I feel obliged to J. M. for his article on Bedding 

 Geraniums. However, before condemning " Lord 

 Palmerston," let him wait another season, and he 

 will, I think, change his opinion. Planted in light 

 rich soil it did admirably with me, enduring the 

 terrific heat of last summer fully as well as Stella 

 and Cybister. As a pot plant for greenhouse 

 decoration it stands in the very first rank, the flow- 

 ers almost completely hiding the leaves. 



Last Spring, I got over from England, Beaton's 

 Amy Hogg, Alexandra, Indian Yellow, Duchess, 

 Magenta Queen, Orange Nosegay, Scarlet Gem, 

 and Mrs. William Paul. Lidian Yellow is described 

 as "orange scarlet suffused with yellow." The 

 color is very brilliant, but, I confess, the yellow is 

 not distinguishable with the naked eye. Alexan- 

 dra is magenta, and Amy Hogg is dark rose ; both 

 fine. Duchess, a soft and glowing rosy scarlet, is 

 charming, believe me. Magenta Queen is a striking 

 color, and of vigorous habit. Mrs. William Paul 

 is rosy-pink, delicate and very pretty. 



The best white Geranium I ever saw is a new one 

 called White Perfection. You will, doubtless, see 

 this next season and agree with me in this opinion. 



Last summer I flowered nearly all the new and 

 old French Gladioli ; among them Shakespeare, 

 Milton, Eurydice, Madame de Sevigne, Meyerbeer, 

 Newton and others. I will tell you a word or two 

 about them should you care to hear me. 



[Certainly.— Ed.] 



THE USE OF LEAVES IN PLANT HOUSES. 



BY J. C. JOHNSTON. 



The article in the Monthly for November, on 

 this subject, was written some nine months since, 



and, to the best of my recollection, not for publica- 

 tion but to obtain from the Editor his opinion how 

 far the moisture engendered by the use of leaves 

 below and around plants in pots affected the tem- 

 perature during severe frosts: 



That question is still unsolved, but the experi- 

 ence of a second season enables me to renew the 

 subject with increased confidence. 



If there is at command all the caloric necessary 

 to sustain a temperature of not less than 45° during 

 the severest night frost, almost every description of 

 shrubs and plants, prior to blooming, grow and 

 thrive much better plunged one-third or more in 

 leaves. Soon after the pots have been arranged on 

 the stages, — the bedding being carefully and neatly 

 placed by hand, — the leaves soon become more or 

 less compact, and do not readily part with the 

 moisture passing through the drainage and descend- 

 ing, also, from occasional syringing. This is the 

 case only on those stages which have not pipes or 

 flues immediately beneath. A strong bottom heat 

 — or even of medium power — dispels the moisture, 

 and renders the leaves superfluous ; but in any 

 other part of the house, not too far from the glass, 

 this plunging process answers a better purpose for 

 the healthy and vigorous development of plants 

 coming forward for bloom than any other condition 

 that has come under my notice. Just so soon as 

 the roots find their way through the bottom of the 

 pots, — and they lose no time in doing so, — as surely 

 does the process of a vigorous growth commence 

 and continue. These adventurous roots are not 

 stationary ; many of them travel some distance, ex- 

 tracting sustenance, like so many greedy leeches, 

 from the gradually decaying leaves. That is proof 

 enough of congeniality of element. But a more ap- 

 parent one is the deep green of the leaves. It is 

 better, however, to restrict the under-growth, or 

 else the plants become checked when removed for 

 blooming elsewhere. 



As evaporation from the pots is counteracted by 

 the moist leaves one-half ordinary quantity of water 

 suffices, which is a great desideratum in winter. 

 Many experienced persons, — amateurs especially, — 

 would strenuously object to a greenish deposit which, 

 after a while, surrounds the sides and rims of the 

 pots. Certain to generate mildew, green fly, and 

 all the ills plants are heir to, is their verdict. Not 

 so fast, gentlemen. Now and then we drop in upon 

 some old fogy, with a half-rotten low-roofed pit, — 

 misnamed greenhouses, — chuck full of stuff. Every 

 thing is shabby,— dirty, if you will have it so,— es- 

 pecially the pots; — why, they are so slimy, it is dif- 

 ficult to hold them. True, but how about the 



