AUGUST. 
225 
PETUNIA MADAM FEKGUSON. 
(Plate 179). 
Alterations both in the form and colour of Petunias have of 
late been numerous and striking; but among single kinds we 
have seen none so constant and beautiful as the variety which 
forms the subject of our plate this month, and of which a 
charming specimen, loaded with upwards of a hundred flowers, 
in which there did not appear the slightest tendency to sport, 
was shown at the last Koyal Botanic Society’s exhibition in 
Eegent’s Park. This favourite kind, for so it was considered 
by all who saw it at the ‘'Park,” was raised by Mr. Eerguson, 
of Stowe, in Buckinghamshire, in the spring of 1860; but 
being the smallest among thousands of seedlings, it did not 
flower till October in that year, when its first blooms were 
submitted to the inspection of Mr. Beaton, who pronounced 
it to be “ a most charming flower,” and added, “ You are 
welcome to make me godfather to it.” Being very weakly, it 
survived the severity of last winter with difficulty. In May, 
however, it was sufficiently forward to enable examples of it 
to be shown, and it was again exhibited at the opening fete of 
the Eoyal Horticultural Society at South Kensington. On all 
occasions the constancy of its characters has been so remark¬ 
able as to induce people to think, and even say, that all bad 
flowers had been picked ofl*. Such was, however, not the case, 
and to settle the matter, Mr. Eerguson determined to exhibit 
to the Eoyal Botanic Society the fine specimen above alluded 
to. The flowers are of a rich glossy silky white, regularly and 
distinctly marked with five bands or stripes of beautiful bright 
purplish crimson. 
This variety has a hard wiry habit, and a strong disposition 
to bloom in a small state ; under ordinary treatment it is, 
therefore, somewhat difficult to propagate. Out of doors it 
makes a good bed, and under glass, both in the shape of 
bushes in pots or trained up pillars, it is both pleasing and 
efi'ective, and in the evening it is reported to emit an agreeable 
perfume. 
It may not be out of place to mention that we picked a 
flower exactly like those figured, oif a Petunia at Slough the 
other day ; but that was the exception not the rule, for the 
rest of the blooms on the plant exhibited different colours and 
varieties of marking. Madam Eerguson, therefore, at present 
remains distinct and unique of its kind. 
VOL. XV., NO. CLXIV. 
