1871. ] 
ON PELARGONIUMS.-NO. III. 
90 
the flora of our conservatories. The first varieties of this section that made 
their appearance possessed but an irregular and pinched little knot of petals as 
the pip, a few of which crowded together formed a resemblance of a truss. This 
ugly, misshapen thing has, with wonderful rapidity, been advanced, through 
careful breeding and cultivation, to a great state of perfection and beauty, pos¬ 
sessing now pips of perfect form fif compactness and complete doubleness can 
be considered such), with size almost equalling that of the double primula. The 
truss also has advanced equally with the pip. As regards colour, the finest varieties 
I have seen of this class have been bright rose or pink, and in this respect most 
useful for supplying a deficiency among the single decorative varieties. The 
persistency of their petals, which remain permanent until the flower dries up and 
perishes, adds much to their value, especially in the formation of bouquets. They 
are, I consider, adapted to pot-culture only ; at least all the varieties I have seen 
cultivated in the open air have exhibited far too great a preponderance of foliage, 
and have not been effective as u bedders.” 
It is in the class of u Bedders ” that I anticipate the greatest advance will be 
made for general usefulness, by the production of a great variety of colours ; so as 
to enable us to form ribbon-borders, and pattern-beds with the scarlet section of 
the Pelargoniums, independently of the aid of other genera. I look forward also 
to great improvement in habit being obtained—a point of equal importance with 
the foregoing, to render the scarlet Pelargonium really adapted for bedding. 
The points I consider essential in this class are brilliancy, with distinctness 
and durabilitj'’ or staunchness of colour ; profuse floriferousness ; and a dwarf 
branching habit. The truss should be of good form and fair size, and should be 
supported erect by a wiry stalk of moderate length—long enough to carry it fairly 
above the foliage, without being so long as to admit of daylight being seen 
between them. Sufficient persistency of petal to withstand wind, is a point of 
more importance than shape, in this class. 
To judge, or in fact, form any opinion of the adaptability of varieties for 
bedding purposes they should he seen in situ , plants grown in pots being no criterion, 
so entirely does the free scope given to the roots alter their habit and their 
quality as regards flowering ; nor can the steadfastness of colour under the 
influence of rain and sun be judged of without complete exposure. 
To enumerate the varieties we possess that are really worthy to be called 
Bedders ” would not be very difficult. In fact I think they could be counted 
on the fingers, in spite of the long lists with the recommendation u a good bed- 
der ” attached to their names in our florists’ catalogues. Old Tom Thumb held 
its position for a long time, and I am not certain that it is not still as good, 
taking into consideration its habit, as any of the Scarlets. Christine , another of 
the old ones, still holds its place as a pink, and were it not for its seeding pro¬ 
pensity would pass muster. I planted out some forty or fifty varieties of the 
newer kinds, includingthe large Nosegays, last summer to test their bedding quali- 
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