Part 9

REGAL PELARGONIUMS

Are comparatively a new type, and from the fact of their having more scalloped petals, somewhat approaching a double; they retain their petals instead of shedding them as do the single show flowers. The Beauty of Oxton and Queen Victoria, novelties of very recent introduction, belong to this class. We had them in bloom last year and thought them very fine. The Beauty of Oxton has the upper petals of a very rich maroon color, darkly blotched; under petals very dark crimson, shaded with maroon; light center tinted with rose. All the petals are attractively and regularly margined with white and beautifully fringed. The flowers are large and the extra number of petals gives them the appearance of being semi-double.

Queen Victoria is of a very novel type and marvelously beautiful. The flowers have crispy petals, all of which are a rich vermilion in color, broadly margined with white, and the upper ones blotched with maroon. The "Show and Fancy Pelargoniums" have what the florists term "blotches," i.e. large spots on the two upper petals, and "spots" which mean the darker marks upon the center of the lower ones. The Lady of the Lake belongs to this class. Lower petals orange-rose painted with crimson, very dark maroon top petals with a narrow, even crimson edge, white center. Prince Charlie is very unique in its markings. Color white elegantly tipped, with rose-violet blotches.

FRINGED AND STRIPED PELARGONIUMS.

This is a very handsome class of which there are many new varieties. Princess of Wales we had last summer. It has elegant frilled petal margins; flower trusses large size and borne in profusion well above the foliage; ground color pure blush, each petal alike marked with a rich dark velvet crimson-scarlet margined blotch.

Star of the East resembles the Princess of Wales in growth and profusion of bloom, but with larger flowers, of pure white ground. The petals are elegantly fringed, the upper ones marked with a rich crimson spot, and the under ones elegantly penciled with violet-colored lines. These are among the novelties of recent introduction.

HYBRID PERPETUAL PELARGONIUMS.

A class of distinct habit, free bloomers, mostly fragrant foliage, good for bedding out. Of these we have only had Madame Glevitsky of Bavarian origin. Color, upper petals a fine vermilion, veined and spotted with purple, under petals vermilion.

We were much pleased with Pelargonium Filicifolia Odorata for its finely cut leaves of a Fern-like appearance and pleasing fragrance.

Our specimens of the various classes were from the extensive and superb collection of Mr. John Saul, of Washington, D. C. Among them was one which originated in his establishment and was named for his wife. It belongs to the "Regal" class. The habit is compact and very free flowering, producing large trusses of flowers the color of which is a rich glowing vermilion, with light center and light margin to the petals.

We are indebted to Mr. John G. Heinl for specimen plants of two "New Monthly Pelargoniums," now offered for the first time to the general public. Of the origin of one, Fred Dorner, we have this account given in a letter to Mr. Heinl, from Fred Dorner, Esq., of Lafayette. Mr. Dorner says:

"Six years ago I undertook to grow some Pelargoniums from seed. I procured some very choice seed of Ernest Benary of Erfust. The seedlings grew finely. About midwinter one commenced to bloom, and to my astonishment kept on blooming for ten months, during which period it was never without flowers. The plants grew to a good size and at one time I counted forty-seven good-sized trusses on it. The winter and everblooming quality, with the large and beautifully colored flowers, makes this Pelargonium a great acquisition to the amateur as well as the florist. I have seen here in Lafayette plants in windows blooming all winter, and it is acknowledged here to be the best and easiest kept house and window plant, blooming from nine to ten months in the year."

Freddie Heinl originated with Mr. John G. Heinl, who says it is a sport from Fred Dorner; it is lighter-colored and the flowers are somewhat larger. That these are both a rare acquisition is evident from the testimony of such florists as Mr. John Thorp of Queens, and Mr. Henry A. Dreer of Philadelphia. Mr. Thorp says, "There are no Pelargoniums equal to them and they have a decided right to be called perpetual." Three months later he writes: "I am more than ever impressed with their superiority over any perpetual blooming varieties, and they must take foremost rank." Mr. Dreer says: "The Pelargoniums have proven very satisfactory. They flowered during the greater part of the summer, and are now full of buds."

The colored lithograph, which Mr. Heinl says is a good representation, shows them to be very beautiful. We should think that to call a plant so dissimilar in foliage and flower a Geranium, would be a misnomer, why not equally such to call a Geranium a Pelargonium?

MODE OF CULTURE.

As we have seen by Mr. Hibberd's address, the Pelargonium's native home is on arid plains where there is much sand, much sunshine and little rain, so that they are chiefly dependent on heavy dews for moisture. To plant them in heavy soil, give them a sheltered situation and liberal and frequent watering, would be a mode of treatment directly the reverse of what they require. In the cultivation of all plants we should as far as possible adapt them to their native conditions. One skilled amateur says his rule is to let the earth in the pots become thoroughly dry before watering, and always to give a period of rest after blooming. Another, a lady, said she never had any success with Pelargoniums until she gave them a heavy period of rest after blooming. In the spring, when putting her plants out of doors, she laid the pots containing Pelargoniums on their sides, and let them remain perfectly dry until fall. She then took the plants out of the pots, shook the soil from the roots, and scrubbed them well with a hard brush and water. The old-looking roots were cut off and the top trimmed down to six or eight inches in height. They were then repotted in rich earth and watered very moderately till they started into full growth, and after that more freely. With this treatment they never fail to bloom.

A young physician who raised many extraordinarily fine varieties of Pelargoniums from seed, in stating his mode of culture, said that his practice was to re-pot large plants whenever they seemed in danger of being pot-bound. The mold he used was made up of black earth from under a manure heap, and a little stiff clay to retain the water. After the plants were done flowering, they were trimmed rather close, and with regard to probable places of sprouting. They were then placed in partial shade, and all shoots found straying out of symmetry were pinched off. His large plants were kept moist till after bloom, and then rather dry.--Floral Cabinet.

We have given these methods so that if not successful with one, another can be adopted.

The Rhodora.

LINES ON BEING ASKED, WHENCE IS THE FLOWER?

In May, when sea-winds pierced our solitudes, I found the fresh Rhodora in the woods, Spreading its leafless blooms in a damp nook, To please the desert and the sluggish brook; The purple petals fallen in the pool, Made the black waters with their beauty gay,-- Here might the red-bird come his plumes to cool, And court the flower that cheapens his array.

Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why This charm is wasted on the marsh and sky, Dear, tell them, that if eyes were made for seeing, Then beauty is its own cause for being. Why thou wert there, O rival of the Rose! I never thought to ask; I never knew, But in my simple ignorance suppose The selfsame Power that brought me there, brought you.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

A Talk About Fuchsias.

A LEGEND OF THE FUCHSIA, FROM VICK'S MAGAZINE.

A legend of this little flower, I heard not long ago; 'Tis this, that when upon the cross The sinless Saviour died, And soldier with his cruel spear Had pierced his precious side, The holy drops flowed to his feet, Then fell upon the sod, When Mary knelt and wept for Him, Her son, and yet her God; An angel who was hovering near, Thus breathed a prayer to heaven: "Oh, Father, let them not be lost, These drops so freely given, But in some form of beauty still, Let them remain on earth, And here upon this rugged hill, Give some sweet floweret birth." Then, forth from the ensanguined sod, A Fuchsia sprang that morn, Rich crimson, dyed with Christian blood, Wrapped in his "robe of scorn," Drooping in sorrow, still it bows Ever its graceful head; Shivering in the slightest breeze-- Trembling in fear and dread; For the dark shadow of the cross Can ne'er forgotten be, Where all the perfume of its breath Was spent on Calvary. Yes, offering its rich fragrance there, As incense at His feet, The Fuchsia, though so beautiful, Can never be more sweet.

ITS HISTORY AND CULTURE.

The Fuchsia was introduced into England in the latter half of the last century by a sailor, at whose home it was discovered by Mr. James Lee, a florist of Hammersmith, who secured the original plant by paying quite a sum of money for it, and in addition promising to give to the sailor's wife one of the first young plants he would succeed in raising. In a short time he succeeded in producing several hundred nice plants, nearly all of which were sold at a guinea each. Shortly after this a captain Firth presented one that he had brought from Chili to the Royal Garden at Kew. The plant was named in honor of Leonard Fuch, an eminent German Botanist, who lived in the 16th century. The varieties in cultivation to-day are vast improvements. One of the early varieties was called Fulgens. We recollect seeing this variety some four or five years ago, and could not refrain from comparing it with a number of varieties lately introduced. The flower may be described as follows: A slender crimson tube two inches in length; sepals narrow, one-half inch; in color a shade lighter than the tube; the corolla purple; in size very small compared with the varieties of the present time. This variety is a strong grower, large foliage which has a silvery appearance. Thus we can have a slight idea of that from which have been produced the beauties of our time; thus can we see what a skillful florist can do when he has something to begin with. Some of the varieties of the Fuchsia are hardy in England as well as in some parts of our own country. A traveler informs us that he has seen them in California trained over arbors and to the houses just as we train grape vines here, and growing most luxuriantly. They grow in favor very rapidly wherever introduced, and it was but a short time after they became known we find the Poet eulogizing them in these lines--