■JOG THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— June 17,1856. 
1831; and a most lovely flower it was, and, indeed, is 
now, if it could be found in cultivation. From that 
species all the varieties we possess are descended. In 
the same year another species was introduced, P.violacea. 
This had smaller flowers of a most intense violet-blue 
colour. The two hybridized, and hence we have the 
various shades of lilac, purple-rose, and violet. To 
produce a white ground, or white eye, recourse was had 
to another species, introduced in 1823, viz , P. nyclagi- 
nijlora. This has pure white flowers; and it is a singu¬ 
lar fact, that seed saved from it produce the species 
quite true, rarely, indeed, varying the least in cither 
toliage, or colour, or form of the flower. Yet by using the 
pollen of this species, and applying it to the stigmas of 
two former species, the while ground colour is attained. 
This variation has now reached perfection, even to the 
production of double flowers. A double white Petunia 
lias been raised, and a fine flower it is, as my description 
below will prove. 
The Petunia is chiefly valued and used as a pot-plant 
for the ornament of the greenhouse and conservatory, 
though there are some varieties that are excellent Im¬ 
bedding. To grow the Petunias well in pots requires 
rather more than common attention. The soil or compost 
should bo light, moderately rich, and open. I have 
grown them well in the following;—Turfy loam, formed 
of thin turf taken from an upland pasture, and well 
rotted down by turning over frequently for, at least, 
twelve mouths; decayed leaves a year old; and peat 
earth from a dry moor; the whole mixed iu equal 
quantities, with a liberal addition of river or silver-sand. 
Then, at the time of potting, put here and there amongst 
the soil a few pieces of charcoal about tho size of a 
hazel-nut. This latter material keeps the soil open and 
permeable for air and water to enter the soil. Then, 
again, the size of the pots requires consideration. They 
should never be too large, for this tribe of plants have 
tender roots, which soon perish in a large mass of wet 
compost. Water must be given rather sparingly after 
potting, and never so abundantly as to saturate the soil. 
The pots should be well-drained, even from a cutting. 
Petunias strike easily from small side shoots planted 
in sand, iu spring, iu heat. If the cuttings are put, in 
towards autumn, they will strike best in a cold pit or 
frame. At whatever season they are put in, they do 
not require bell-glasses, only shading from the hot sun. 
Twelve Selected New Varieties. 
1. Docteur Andry. —Fine form and substance; colour 
a rosy-amaranth, beautifully striped with white. 
2. Hermione (Smith’s).—Ground colour a soft blush 
white, regularly marked and spotted with bright purple. 
A novel and beautiful variety for the greenhouse. 
3. Imperial.— New double white. A beautiful variety, 
with flowers as double as an Oleander, and very fra¬ 
grant. A free grower, beautiful as a pot-plant, though 
there is no doubt it will prove a very good bedding- 
plant. Should be grown in every greenhouse. 
4. Leon Sequay .— Regularly striped with violet-purple 
and rosy-blush. Very handsome. 
5. Madame Eugenie 8etnicliez. —White ground, evenly 
striped with purple, distinct, and handsome. 
(i. Majestic (Turner).—Violet-crimson ground, mar¬ 
gined with deep rosy-blush, and veined with purple, 
large and smooth, well-formed. A fine variety. 
7. Major Domo (Turner).—Rosy-blush ground, with 
crimson centre. Good form and substance. 
8. Marquise dc l/t Ferte. — Rose, with pure white 
throat. Distinct and beautiful. 
9. Marquise de Saint Innocent. —Beautifully striped 
like a Carnation. Novel, distinct, and fine. 
10. Pieturata (Turner).—Rich purple, margined dis¬ 
tinctly with white. Good form, and medium size. 
11. Purpurea alba (Turner).—Ground colour purple, 
veined with crimson, and margined with white. Very 
distinct and fine. 
12. Purpurea striata. — Beautifully feathered with 
crimson, and margined with blush-white. Good form 
and habit. 
Price Is. 6d. to 5s. each. 
Twelve Selected Older Varieties. 
1. Alba Magna. —A fine, large, clear, white variety, 
much superior to any yet raised. 
2. British Queen. —Deep crimson centre, with a broad 
margin of pinkish-blush. 
3. Crimson Perfection. — Deep crimson, with dark 
throat; good form and substunce. A fine bedding 
variety. 
-1. Favourite. — Rich, dark rose, with clear white 
centre. Excellent lor bedding or pots; much superior 
to the old favourite Shrubland Bose. 
5, Furst Von Schwarsburg. — Violet-purple throat, 
with purplish-red centre, margined with green. Curious 
and beautiful. 
0. Jupiter. —White ground, flaked with purple and 
red. A round, well-formed flower. 
7. La Reine. —Fine blood-coloured centre, striped on 
a white ground. Fine form and substance. 
8. Loveliness. —Violet-purple, edged with white. Good 
form and medium size. 
9. Mars. —Dark, showy, crimson-purple. Good form. 
10. Montreal Purple. — Rich purple, flue form and 
substance. A good bedding variety. 
11. Ponceau. —Rosy-purple, with dark-blood centre. 
Extra good form and substance. 
12. Prince Camilla de Rohan. — Purplish-crimson, 
margined with green ; distinct, curious, and handsome. 
A fine variety. 
Price Is. to Is. 6d. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
DRY SOILS AND DRY WEATHER.—ROUTINE 
WORK OF THE SEASON. 
Although a hot summer is, unquestionably, a national 
blessing, yet there are cases in which it causes a punish¬ 
ing effect on certain growing crops, especially on such 
as arc not required to mature their growth into that 
condition which we call “ ripeness.” For instance, a 
field of wheat is generally benefited by fine, dry weather 
occurring during the latter periods of its growth, while, 
on tho other hand, Turnips require showers of rain at 
that time. The one is rapidly drawing towards the close 
( of its existence, the other is expected to grow lor several 
mouths after; consequently, there is little analogy be- 
J tween them, except that the intermediate kind of weather 
is often suitable to both, and a beueficial result follows, 
i In the more limited space of a garden there is often 
1 some artificial mode open, whereby wo may, to a certain 
extent, improve the benefits of the one case, or lessen 
\ the evils of the other. A very dry soil may be so treated 
i as to suffer but little from the effects of continued 
: drought.; and, on the other hand, a damp, cold soil may 
be managed so as to mitigate the evils of its condition. 
\ Effectual drainage, followed by deep tillage, will, in a 
great measure, secure the latter, while deep tillage and 
the addition of some stiff’ material will aid the other, 
assisted with some shading to diminish evaporation, 
and, if possible, some contrivance to prevent the plant 
suffering by the adjoining ground sucking too much of 
the moisture away. 
Supposing the soil to be a dry, sandy one, resting on 
sand, gravel, or stone strata, and the soil or staple under 
cultivation not deep, we must see if the soil canuot be 
deepened by breaking up the bottom portion; but if that 
bottom contain a largo portion of pernicious matter, 
