Plate 431. 
NEW VARIETIES OF NERIUM OLEANDER. 
We are indebted to Mr. A. F. Barron, Superintendent of the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s Gardens at Chiswick, for the subjects of our illustration. During the past 
summer Mr. Barron grew a collection of Neriums of Continental origin, and several of 
them proved to be of great excellence and undoubted value as decorative plants. 
We believe these new Neriums came from that enterprizing French florist, Mons. 
Victor Lemoine, Nancy, France. A few are semi-double, some single, all bear fine 
trusses of finely-formed and vari-coloured flowers. Felix Duval (fig. 1) is of a bright 
pink colour, slightly shaded with salmon ; the flowers full and of good form ; a very 
pleasing variety. Professor Duchatre (fig. 2) is remarkable for its rich deep shade of 
crimson; quite a new colour among Neriums — indeed it is most striking; the petals are 
large and stout, and of the best form. Several other varieties are scarcely less valuable, 
and gardeners should grow them for greenhouse and conservatory decoration. One 
remarkable characteristic of Mr. Barron’s collection was, the freedom with which quite 
small plants were blooming, but they were growing in small pots. 
Plate 432. 
DOUBLE ZONAL PELARGONIUM VESTA. 
This new and most useful variety was, we believe, raised by Mr. Thomas Laxton, 
formerly of Stamford, but it is only recently that it has attracted public notice. It is 
regarded by those who cultivate it as superior to Wonderful, the double sport from the 
well-known Vesuvius, and it has this advantage, that it will expandits flowers in a rather 
lower temperature during winter than Wonderful and others. It is being distributed by 
Messrs. Hawkins and Bennett, Lily Nursery, Twickenham. 
It may not be generally known that certain varieties of Zonal Pelargoniums, both 
double and single, are largely grown for their flowers, which are gathered and put into 
bunches, and sent to market. There is a great demand for these during winter, and the 
varieties that open readily, as well as produce good flowers, are grown for the purpose. 
Vesta is particularly well adapted for this purpose; in addition, it is a remarkably good 
bedder, and an excellent pot plant. The trusses are large and full, the individual flowers 
of fine form and substance, and of a lively scarlet colour. 
