NOVEMBER. 
321 
PELARGONIUMS. 
(Plate 145 .) 
Ten or eleven years ago, a very decided opinion was expressed 
in the “ Gardeners’ Chronicle,” that Pelargoniums had reached 
the limits of improvement—that all had been done that man 
could do in the way that seedling raisers were then pursuing 
—and the adoption of new crosses, with the wild Cape species, - 
was strongly recommended, very elaborate instructions being 
given how best to proceed with a view to obtain new and 
unthought of results in hybridising. Subsequently, the 
metropolitan exhibitions gave prizes for the wild species, hut 
all, we believe, failed to induce any raiser to act upon the 
recommendation; and now, after ten years, what has been the 
result of pursuing the old path, in the hope that improvement 
might yet be made therein, and with confidence in the Pelar¬ 
gonium’s capabilities to repay all the care, the patience, 
and the perseverance which the cultivator might bestow ? See 
the Plate in our number of this month for an answer ! We 
have compared it with those in the two first numbers of our 
publication, and we can but conclude that, at no time since 
florists took the Pelargonium in hand, has greater progress 
been made in all the points of a good flower, and not at the 
sacrifice of any. We think too that notwithstanding all that 
has been done, there is still abundant room for progress, and 
that the judicious and patient raiser of seedlings may anticipate 
with confidence the development of new beauties,—for though 
the flowers we now cultivate appear difficult to surpass, yet 
the materials for the work of the skilful florist were never so 
good; glance we for a moment at Peacock (No. 1), raised by 
Mr. 0. Turner; what an improvement is here on Nonsuch 
and Ocellatum (the lovely precursors of the fine family of 
spotted varieties, which the last two years have produced),— 
consider the larger and denser spots, the deeper colouring, 
the increase of size, the advance in all points ! The new 
varieties are nearly, if not quite, twice the size of those in 
the illustrations before alluded to. Ariel (No. 2), raised by 
the Rev. 0. Fellowes, Shottesham, Norwich, is a decided 
acquisition, not perhaps so much in the colouring, as in the 
goodness and constancy of the flower. The Prince of Wales 
(No. 3), raised by G. W. Hoyle, Esq., Reading, is 
a flower large in size, of fine form, and rare merit— 
the colouring exquisitely rich, and the centre beautifully clear. 
We confidently anticipate that these three fine, yet very 
dissimilar varieties, will hold their place as favourites for a 
considerable period in the future. 
But notwithstanding the little aid the hybridiser has received 
VOL. XI., no. cxxxi. ♦ Y 
