Napoleon, crimson scarlet, darker centre and light eye; Meillez' Louise de France, pale rose; Barker's Bride, white; Wyness's Princess Alice, white or pale blush, with deep cherry centre.

Those which follow, being older sorts, can be bought by the dozen at a small cost; and most of them are quite equal for planting out to the newer and more expensive ones.

Barkerii, deep scarlet, habit close and neat; Robinson's Defiance, vivid scarlet, habit strong and coarse; Barker's Marchioness of Ailsa, pale pink; Barker's St. Margaret's, rosy crimson, centre suffused with purple; Ivery's Emperor of China, crimson, light eye; Chauviere's Valentine de Saveuse, lilac; Gem of the West, rose, yellowish eye; Duchesse d'Aumale, lilac; Louis Philippe, maroon.

The Petunia is another plant which has been greatly improved since its introduction to our gardens, although of late the skill of hybridists has been misdirected to the production of size of blossom and novelty of colour; the first of which qualities lessens instead of increasing the value of the Petunia as a flower-garden plant. It will be found that the most effective kinds are those whose flowers are not so large as to be incapable of retaining their proper shape, and whose colours are bright and distinct; and such must chiefly be sought for amongst the older varieties; as, Elegans, bright rosy purple; Lady Peel, crimson purple; Sir Robert Peel, French white, with dark pencilled eye; Enchantress, pale pink or blush, with dark throat; Van Houttei, pink, veined with crimson. Of the new flowers exhibited last season, one or two deserve attention; and perhaps the best of them for a bed is Count Zichy, a small rosypurple flower, with a distinct white throat, in the way of an older variety named Shrubland Rose.

A greater assortment of colours may be acquired by saving seeds in autumn from the different varieties. If the seed is sown towards the end of the present month in pans under glass, and the seedlings pricked out when large enough into other pans, the plants will come in usefully to fill the beds vacated by the early-flowering annuals; then the most approved kinds may be propagated in autumn by means of cuttings, and thus a stock of suitable sorts for bedding in the ensuing spring can be obtained.

While on the subject of bedding-plants, we will make use of the opportunity to indicate a few improved varieties of other popular flowers. A species of Pentstemon erroneously known in gardens as P. gentianoides, affords several new varieties, the best of which that I have seen are called Princess Helena, Buckii, Fulgidus, and Elegans. All these have red flowers of different shades. The kind first brought to this country has purple flowers, on which account it ought not to be lost sight of; then there is a variety of recent origin with white blossoms, which makes it very desirable. There is also a newly introduced species of Pentstemon called cordifolius, worthy of a place in the flower-garden; not, however, as a bedding plant, for which purpose its dull red colour unfits it. Several of the finest species of this eminently beautiful genus have been lost to the country by exposure in wet and cold borders, whereas many infinitely inferior plants are petted in pots through the winter. One of the

handsomest, however, is yet obtainable, although much scarcer in the country than its merit would lead one to suppose. This is P. spe

ciosus, whose flowers are of the most beautiful blue colour imaginable. Seeds should be sown in spring, and the young plants grown in pots till the next spring, then to be planted in the borders, where their beauty when in bloom will amply repay this little extra trouble.

Then comes the Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), a common but highly ornamental old plant, which has latterly been under the hands of the improver, although hitherto without any very encouraging result so far as the real advancement of the flower is concerned. Some of the new kinds are highly praised; but none that I have seen surpass in effect the old bi-coloured, tri-coloured, deep crimson, white, and bright yellow varieties. Those who desire to try the new sorts should purchase the set advertised by Mr. Turner in the last number of the Florist, and propagate by cuttings the colours that are preferred.

Among shrubby Calceolarias, the Kentish Hero is worthy of particular notice as a bedding-plant. The individual flowers are ill shaped, and the colours (yellow and brown) not bright; yet its distinctness and profuseness of bloom combine to make it a very desirable thing. C. amplexicaulis has bright yellow flowers, and Kayana (or Caieana?) is of a deeper yellow, and both these form showy beds. Further remarks upon this class of plants must, how

ever, be deferred till next month.

J. B. WHITING.

N.B. Whenever I mention nurserymen's names, it is to be understood that any respectable man can supply the articles alluded to.

EXHIBITION OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS IN 1851.

I HOPE that a very large niche will be allotted in the proposed Exhibition for the products of floricultural industry. Although all the exhibitions of French industrial products held at Paris were adorned with specimens of artificial flowers, in the manufacture of which our continental neighbours stand unrivalled, it was reserved for the Exhibition of 1849 to see nature and art vying with each other as candidates for popular favour.

The idea of adding floricultural specimens does not appear to have been started until a very short time before the opening of the Exhibition, or there can be no doubt but that a much finer display of flowers would have graced the salle d'exposition.

Amongst the principal exhibitors in this department, the names of Bertin, L'Homme, Ketter, and Michel, stood conspicuous; and a collection of Ericas and Azalias by the latter was much and justly admired. As I do not wish that floriculturists should be taken by surprise, I have ventured to address you on this subject.

E. H. D.

VOL. III. NO. XXVII.

G

CARNATIONS.

NEW OR SCARCE VARIETIES.

Puxley's Perfection, purple flake. This is a superb variety, being full, yet not so full but that the beautiful marking can be seen to advantage in every petal; good white, and smooth edges.

May's Owen Glendower, crimson bizarre. Figured correctly in the Florist, vol. for 1849: it is a full flower, a healthy, upright grower, but will be slow to increase.

May's Romeo, rose flake, of a delicate shade. This variety was also figured in the Florist. We have seen it far superior to the drawing, having a large and finely-formed petal. Gently cupped; the flower as large as Garland, but not quite so many petals; good white, of beautiful texture.

May's Falconbridge, pink bizarre; has plenty of colour, which is not often the case in this class; good size, full and smooth.

Hollyoake's Dido, scarlet flake, very bright, and a good white; full, and the best of its class; care is required in blooming, as it is rather short of pod.

Hastings' Rainbow, crimson bizarre; full size, and tolerably well marked; petal not of the best shape.

Puxley's Jenny Lind, crimson bizarre. This is a full flower, and rather late, but of the most striking colours, and well marked; one of the best.

Barrenger's Duke of Devonshire, scarlet flake; a neat flower, of medium size; white good.

Chullingford's Africanus, scarlet flake, very bright, marking excellent ;

small.

rather

Puxley's Robert Bruce, scarlet bizarre. Like all Mr. Puxley's flowers, it is of good size; colours brilliant, and evenly marked.

Clerke's Rev. J. Bramhall, purple flake. A flower much in the style of Squire Meynell, but larger, and much more constant.

Puxley's Emperor, scarlet bizarre ; full, and much the shape of Brutus.

The following were shewn in fine condition last season, and may be depended on as first-class varieties :

Scarlet Bizarres.-Admiral Curzon (Easom); Brutus (Colcutt); Captain Edwards (Summerscales); Lord Rancliffe (Holliday) ; Prince Albert (Puxley); Splendid (Martin).

Crimson Bizarres.-Caliban (May); Count Pauline (Holmes); Hector (Hepworth); Lord Milton (Ely); Rainbow (Cartwright); Sir Joshua Reynolds (Hughes); Thomas Hewlett (Holliday).

Fink and Purple Bizarres.—Henry Kirke White (Taylor); Prince Albert (Puxley); Sarah Payne (Ward); Twyford Perfection (Young).

Purple Flakes.-Earl Spencer (Barrenger); Beauty of Woodhouse (Mansley); Princess Helena (Puxley); Premier (Millwood); Squire Meynell (Brabbin); Queen of Purples (Holliday).

Scarlet Flakes.-Firebrand (Hardwick); King of Scarlets (Ely); Lydia (Addenbrook); Queen Victoria (Simpson); Sir H. Smith (Hale); Ulysses (Bucknall).

Rose Flakes.—Ariel (May); Flora's Garland (Brooks); Lorenzo (May); Lovely Ann (Ely); Princess Royal (Puxley); Prince Arthur (May); Rosetta (May.)

There exists a great deficiency in Scarlet Flakes; but we are rich in Purple Flakes and Scarlet Bizarres.

OUR NOTE-BOOK.

MEETINGS AT WORTON COTTAGE.

OUR readers will have observed a notice respecting these intended meetings repeated several times on the second page of our cover. A line or two will explain the object we have in view in their establishment.

A great many seedlings reach us during the season. We reside in a neighbourhood easily reached by railway, and abounding with intelligent nurserymen, amateurs, and gardeners. It has occurred to us, that if all seedling varieties can be posted or sent so as to reach us on the Wednesday morning of each week, many would attend, and, bringing with them some of the best varieties in cultivation, the seedlings would be tested against them under the most favourable circumstances. We are amongst those who believe that the tests cannot be too severe to which seedlings are subjected, and that in no place can they be more fairly judged than under glass, side by side with their predecessors; or if they are objects of out-door cultivation, in the open clear air of the country. We are willing to try; and the result will soon determine how far our opinion in favour of the utility of these meetings is correct or not. But we must urge our seedling-raising friends to keep before them a memorandum to post all productions for opinion so as to reach us on Wednesday morning, free of all charges. If articles arrive with any expense on them, they will not be noticed.

PLANTS FOR VASES.

LAST season we were particularly struck with the very beautiful selection and arrangement of plants in the vases placed in front of the Palm-house at Kew. These vases are of iron, thoroughly painted stonecolour; and however objectionable a material iron may be for the purpose, on account of its continued tendency to rust, nothing could be more beautiful for a length of time than the group of flowers in question, shewing that it is not entirely unsuitable. Mr. Allen, the foreman of the flower-garden department, has favoured us with the following memorandum. "They were filled in the month of June with the undernamed plants; the tallest were placed in the centre, and the colours mixed as I would do in making up a lady's bouquet : the plants were not selected for the purpose; they were some left over after filling the flower-beds.

"Geraniums - Prince of Orange; Frogmore, scarlet; Tom Thumb, scarlet; Variegated scarlet. Petunias - Nyctaginiflora, white; Ageratum mexicanum, blue, and A. album, white; Salvia patens, blue; Calceolaria amplexicaulis and rugosa, yellow; Verbenas-Defiance, scarlet; Barkerii, scarlet; Emma, purple; Avalanche, white."

ALLAMANDA CATHARTICA.

THIS being one of our most beautiful autumn-flowering stove-plants, and as I have been very successful in its cultivation, perhaps a short account of my mode of treating it may not prove uninteresting.

I will begin with a young plant in a 5-inch pot, bought in now from the nursery. Such a plant, if in good health, will in general be found to be what is termed "pot-bound." The first operation, therefore, under such circumstances, will be to turn it out of the pot, remove the crocks, and carefully to disentangle the roots. If the latter are healthy, give rather a liberal shift,-say into an 8-inch pot, using a mixture of one-half good fibry loam, one-quarter peat and one-quarter leaf-mould, with a little sharp sand. Experience has proved that a soil of this kind, well mixed, and chopped up with the spade (not sifted), on an efficient drainage, suits it perfectly; but if peat cannot be had, then three-quarters loam and one-quarter leaf-mould and sand will answer. In both cases, place a layer of some of the most fibry and rough soil over the drainage, with a view to make the latter act perfectly and permanently.

After potting, give a thorough watering, to settle the soil about the roots, and place it in a smart bottom-heat in a moist stove. When it shews symptoms of breaking, if the plant is weak or "drawn," cut it down to a prominent bud on the ripe wood, or in the case of a stronger plant, bend it down, in order the better to equalise the flow of the sap, and cause the buds at the bases of the shoots to start simultaneously with those at their tops. Judicious watering and occasional tying will now be all that it will want, until it has filled the pot with roots, and requires a shift, which will probably be some time in June; for it must be remembered, that it should not be allowed to blossom the first year. The point to be kept in view is, to have a good strong plant furnished in autumn with well-ripened wood, from which abundance of yellow aromatic flowers may be expected the following season.

About the beginning or middle of June, if all has gone on well, it will be found to have filled its pot with fine healthy roots, and should be shifted into an 11-inch pot, using the same compost as before. After shifting, continue the generous growing treatment already recommended, until the end of autumn is approached, when water should be gradually withheld, and all the light and air that is possible given it, to ripen the wood well, an important point in the culture of all plants, but more especially so in that of the Allamanda. Keep it all-but dry during the gloomy months of early winter, and about the middle of February start it into growth. Prune the unripe tops off the old wood; and if a large and fine specimen is desired, shift it when it begins to break, and plunge it again into bottom-heat. Train the branches well out on a barrel-shaped trellis, which may consist of seven or eight nice hazel-rods of sufficient length, placed in the soil immediately inside the pot, fastened to a