MAY. 
135 
In shrubby Calceolarias immense strides have been made. Instead 
of the old 1 !Ose-grovving kinds, we have now compact-growing, firm- 
stalked sorts, that will stand a little rough usage from the weather. 
In crimsons, King of Sardinia, Camden Hero, and General Pelissier 
are all very fine and somewhat similar. They are of Sultan habit, but 
do not grow so tall. In yellows there is Gold finder, a fine rich yellow 
variety with stiff footstalks ; Erecta, rich yellow, close, stiff habit, and 
invaluable—no garden should be without this, and Aurea floribunda, 
orange yellow, and an immense bloomer. The best pale lemon is 
Cleopatra, of dwarf habit; and the next Pallida, which is rather a 
taller grower. Hawk, orange, thickly spotted with brown, makes a 
good and very distinct bed ; this variety being moderately dwarf, and a 
stiff grower. Orange Perfection is one of the most valuable of all— 
soft pale orange, and a capital grower; this should be everywhere. 
Orange Boven, darker in colour, is also valuable. There is a fine dark 
crimson variety named Comet, of capital habit, that will be most useful 
in the north as a bedder, where the season is shorter, and the soil and 
temperature not so hot and dry as with us in the summer; there it will 
be very fine out of doors. Hitherto w^e have not found Eclipse a free 
grower, but it is unapproachable in intensity of colour, being nearer a 
scarlet than any other, of excellent habit, and a most beautiful variety. 
This spring it is growing much more freely with us, and we are 
induced to think it can yet be made a free-growing bedding variety. 
Some of the new sorts now coming out for the first time are admirable 
bedders, especially Yellow Prince of Orange and Rubra. Both of these 
varieties are of “ Prince of Orange ” habit; one a bright yellow, the 
other light red. Lady Middleton and Yellow Dwarf are also first-rate. 
In Petunias not so much has been done. Out of doors. Imperial has 
disappointed a great many ; and for this reason, it is a very strong 
grower, and late spring struck plants were used. At the Royal Gardens, 
Frogmore, were large beds on the Vine borders, in full flower, last 
autumn ; but although it will not be generally used as a bedding plant, 
it will be available in many warm districts, where autumn struck plants 
are used, and they are planted in a poor soil in a dry situation. Two 
of the striped continental varieties are capital bedders—Dr. Andry and 
Marquise de St. Innocent. The latter is not quite so good a grower as 
Dr. Andry, but is brighter in colour. They are both of a carmine 
colour with small white stripes, and make a bright bed. Countess of 
Ellesmere is pretty, but changes colour so much, and we think not 
equal to Shrubland Rose; it is certainly not so beautiful in colour as 
Marquise de la Ferte, but perhaps a better grower. Springfield Rival 
is one of the finest crimson bedding varieties known. Of the new 
continental Petunias we as yet know nothing, but shall prove them 
this summer. We are yet badly off for a good pure coloured single 
white. In Heliotropes, we think Miss Nightingale the best light 
variety, and Beauty of the Boudoir the best dark; and both are good. 
The best blue Lobelia is decidedly “ Erinus speciosa,” deep blue with 
white eye, and a free growing spreading variety. A small bed filled 
with this and edged with Koniga variegata, kept very close, has a 
charming effect. 
