24, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
of this section make a veiy long though slender 
growth. I have measured plants this season 'which 
covered 'with their prostrate branches spaces 
ranging from 12 to 18 feet in diameter. 
The Grandiflora section have thick, 
short, succulent branches, covered vrith 
a sticky substance, very large leaves, and 
enormous flowers, often from four to five 
inches across. They flower very freely, 
but not as abundantly as the small flow- 
ered ones. They produce but very lit- 
tle seed, and none in the open ground, as 
a general rule, though perhaps a little 
could be obtained in a very dry season. 
To obtain seed of this fine class, the 
plants must be grown in pots, and kept 
in the house out of the way of dew and 
rain, and even when this precaution is 
taken the product of seed is very light. 
Among the best of this section is Ker- 
mesina, a deep crimson ; Maculata, mot- 
tled, striped and blotched in almost every 
conceivable manner; Venosa, of various 
colors, but covered with a network of 
purplish veius ; Rosea, deep rose, gener- 
ally with a clear white throat ; Marginata, 
which has flowers of various colors, 
that are curiously margined with green. 
In my Petunia house, devoted to sav- 
ing Petunia seeds from pot plants, this 
summer I discovered a plant producing 
flowers that startled and delighted me; 
they had a pretty, deeply cut fringe. My 
first impression was that this fringe re- 
sembled that of the Fringed Gentian. I 
give a drawing (Pig. 1,) of this remarkable 
flower, and hope to prove, next season, that the 
peculiarity will be reproduced from seed. 
DianthusHeddewigii Dladematus fl. pi. — 
All of which means Double Diadem Pink. This 
is altogether the most desirable acquisition of 
and when true, perfectly double ; of all lints, 
from the most delicate to the deepest velvety 
purple, and of the most gorgeous markings ; as 
Fig. 2. — DIADEM PINK. 
the year. It is of the style of D. Heddeioigii, 
but more dwarf and compact in habit. The 
flowers are from two to three inches in diameter 
Fig. 1. — FRINGED PETUNIA. 
the grower wrote me a year since, "Each petal 
is a marvel of beauty in its drawing." (Pig 2.) 
Only about one-half the plants produced from 
seeds are true, or at least give flowers that are 
equal to the description, but these are so good 
that no one would mourn over those that fail. 
Zinnia Double. — 
Three new Zinnias ap- 
peared among the Eu- 
ropean novelties last 
season, one claiming to 
be dwarf in habit, but 
it was no more dwarf 
than thousands I have 
had every season, and 
had no merit that I 
could discover. One, 
represented as quilled, 
proved curious and 
very good,though only 
a few of the plants pro- 
duced flowers with 
quilled petals. For 
man}' years we have 
been wishing,workiDg, 
and waiting for a good 
double icliite Zinnia. I 
had grown a good 
many of a pinkish- 
white, and of a dirty 
yellowish - white, but 
none that satisfied me. 
A friend in Europe 
wrote me that he un- 
derstood Vilmorin,An- 
dieux & Co., of Paris, 
had succeeded in pro- 
ducing a good double 
white flower. In an- 
swer to inquiries on 
this subject, these gentlemen wrote me that 
they were laboring in this direction, and not 
without some success.but were not yet prepared 
so send out anything they had yet produced as 
a White Zinnia. My efforts have thus far been 
equalty unsuccessful in this direction, yet I 
hope, in a year or two, not only to ex- 
hibit good double Zinnias of snowy 
whiteness, but those beautifully striped. 
I had one plant last season producing 
flowers as clearly and distinctly striped 
as the best flake Carnation ; another with 
a row of snow-white petals, then a row 
of crimson, alternating though a little 
irregularly to the centre. Others with 
stripes and blotches of red and yellow. I 
shall watch these changes most anxiousl} r 
for a year or two. If the striped flower, 
of which I give a drawing (Fig. 3), re- 
produces itself from seed next season, I 
shall feel that its character is pretty well 
established. I have already obtained ev- 
erything that can be desired in perfection 
of form and size of flower, and have ev- 
ery desirable shade of color except blue, 
which we never expect to see, and white, 
which I hope to exhibit before long ; 
while I feel quite confident that another 
year or two will give a collection of 
fine and well established striped varieties. 
Soon after the introduction of the 
Double Zinnia, I became satisfied that it 
was destined to become one of our most 
popular flowers, being hardy, showy, and 
enduring in its individual flowers, and 
set to work earnestly to improve its 
character in every possible way. I am 
more than satisfied with the results thus 
far obtained, and await a year or two more 
ot experiment with patient confidence. 
Calanlvrlnia Speciosa Alba. — A dwarf 
variety, with pure white flowers in the greatest 
abuudance, and if it kept in bloom during the 
whole season- would be valuable. Unfortunate! y, 
. — VICK 3 STP.rPED DOUBLE ZINNIA. 
the plants acted early in August as though they 
had fulfilled theirmission, stopped blooming, and 
left, me without the white stripe in the ribbon. 
