1S71. ] 
ON PELARGONIUMS.-NO. Y. 
219 
brilliant from tlie first week in June till the middle of July; after which the 
intense sun-heat and occasional rough weather told upon them ; Mrs . Pollock 
stood with less alteration than any, and in autumn it was in the best condition of 
all. The beauty of the tricolors as bedders depends very much upon the season, 
for they will not retain their colour either under intense heat, or heavy rains. 
Upon the whole, I consider the Tricolors, although strikingly beautiful when 
in perfection, more adapted for conservatory decoration than bedding, and to be 
decidedly less lasting and useful for bedding purposes than the flowering section. 
The flower upon the Tricolors is considered of very secondary importance; 
or, as in fact they are most industriously removed, it would perhaps be con¬ 
sidered an improvement if they could be induced to become flowerless, an 
achievement as difficult of accomplishment as to alter the comparative growth of 
the green and white portions of the leaf of the Silver Tricolors. I see no reason 
why the flower might not be brought to harmonize with the foliage so as to become 
an additional feature of beauty, instead of a disfigurement. Would not a well- 
formed pure white flower upon the scarlet and golden Tricolor, or a bright rose 
or purple upon the silver Tricolor, be both pleasing and telling ? I counsel the 
attempt, both for novel colour and improved form of flower, as worth making. 
In the Golden Bicolor section we have many strikingly bold and conspicuous 
varieties, which by their conspicuousness form attractive beds, and afford a pleasing 
variety when well placed. A few specimen plants well grown also contribute to 
enliven and produce variety in a large conservatory ; but I must own to a pre¬ 
judice in favour of the Golden and Silver Tricolors for conservatory decoration. 
In the Silver Bicolor section we have the, dwarf-habited, white-flowered 
strain, raised by Mr. Postans, which promises to become a most valuable addition, 
inasmuch as it will supply the place of the Cerastium, and other plants, as 
an edging to the ribbon border, or pattern bed. In the larger varieties of the 
Silver Bicolors I see neither beauty nor utility. The same remark applies to 
the Golden Selfs, for I have never seen them sufficiently bright to be either 
conspicuous for their beauty, or effective as a contrast. 
With a few remarks upon the Ivy-leaved sorts I will close my attempted 
review of the varieties of the Scarlet Pelargonium. This section, from 
its creeping habit of growth, is adapted for hanging-baskets, and also for 
bedding. I have seen the large white-flowered variety, when carefully pinned 
down, form an effective bed, from the contrast which the white flowers presented 
upon its dark-green foliage. It is also useful to form an edging. The size of 
the Ivy-leaved truss requires enlargement, and we also want more colours ; 
these, in combination with its creeping habit, would render this section most 
valuable for bedding purposes; and as in the hands of Mr. Wills and others 
crosses have been effected between it and the nosegays, I see no obstacle to 
these improvements being obtained, nor any reason that we may not eventually 
have close-growing or pinned-down Ivy Pelargoniums with nosegay trusses of 
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