BOTANICAL INDEX. 
2.1 
SEEDLING BOSES 
AT LYONS. 
BY JEAN SISLEY, MONTPLALSIR, LYONS. 
[E Roses shown at the lute exhibition here were not so numerous as usual 
H? and contrary to the general rule, the blooms, and particularly the Teas, Ben- 
gals, and Noisettes, were not so line as they ought to be in our favorable cli- 
mate at this season of the year; while in June and July the hybrid perpetu- 
als were all that could be desired. Some new seedlings were exhibited, but 
^ of their merits I cannot conscientiously inform your readers because in my 
opinion cut flowers do not convey a fair idea of the value of a new variety, as much 
of course depends upon its growth, foliage, and its more or less free blooming prop- 
erties, hardiness, &c., unless at first sight it shows something very distinct, either in 
shape, size, color, or scent. Nevertheless there was one with which I think proper 
to make your readers acquainted. Being struck by the large truss of I dooms exhib- 
ited I made up my mind to learn more regarding the plant. I therefore went to the 
raiser, Madame Veuve Rambaux, where I found a great number of plants ol it cov- 
ered with blooms, and on nearly all the branches numerous clusters of flower buds. 
They had been continually in bloom the whole season ; it is a seedling from Bosapol- 
yantha. The plant, which is dwarf (being about one and one-half feet high;, is vig- 
orous, and what is very remarkable, some of the trusses rise about one foot above 
the foliage and consist of a considerable quantity of blooms both open and in the 
bud state; on one I counted sixty-five, a number, as far as 1 know, very uncommon. 
The flowers are pure white and last very long in perfection ; they measure about one 
and one-half inch in diameter, are very double, and shaped like Poquerette (of Gil- 
lot fils), also a seedling from Bona Polynntha. Each truss will make in itself a splen- 
did bouquet. It will doubtless make a fine pot Rose, and as such will be useful for 
table decoration if forced to bloom in the early part of the year. — The Garden. 
GERANIUMS OR PELARGONIUMS. 
BY JOHN THORPE, QUEENS LONG ISLAND, N. Y. 
GO G V-\ 
;>*jlft|ROM the growing and deserving popularity of these beautiful plants, I am in- 
< -' ,lce d to say a few words generally, and to call attention to some of the very 
|( newest varieties. The time is long past when four or, at most, eight vari- 
efies was deemed sufficient for all purposes, and lovers of beautiful colors 
anxiously await the advent of each new aspirant for a place among an al- 
ready good collection. Few genera of plants have so wide a range of color 
as Pelargonium, but the species I now have reference to are our every-day Geraniums, 
which have been so metamorphosed as to be almost unrecognizable as “species.” A 
few years ago it was very easy to distinguish seedlings of either P. Zonale, P. In- 
guinans or P. P citatum , but to-day it is difficult to decide where the influence of one 
parent began and the other left oft". The most popular class at this time is the semi- 
double class, comprising mostly descendants from P. Asa Gray , that fine achievement 
of Mons. J. Sisley, (long may he live,) and some in breeding with varieties of In- 
quinans, of which P. Madame Lemoine is the type. 
In the following list will be found varieties surpassing all others in their several 
styles of color, or varieties quite new in color. The list was made up after mature 
deliberation and severe criticism of nearly two hundred varieties, about the middle 
