The Floricultural Cabinet, and Florists Magazine (Volume 17-18)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1849. Excerpt: ... PELARGONIUM. VAK. TOM THUMB'S BPIDE. WITHIN the last half-dozen years particular attention has been directed to obtain improved varieties of that class of Pelargoniums, usually termed Scarlet Geraniums, and the result has been » very successful. Of the section denominated Horse-shoe Leaf Geraniums, which comprises varieties whose leaves are very distinctly horse-shoe marked, others wholly destitute of it, and the flowers of all shades of colour from the richest crimson and scarlet down to the white flowered, there are sixty named kinds, and each successive season there is a nearer approach to perfection in form of flower, so that we have some that when fully expanded very n. fill up a complete circle. In habit of growth there is too a great variety, from the very dwarf Scarlet Minima to those of gigantic stature, some of which we have seen trained to the height of ten or twelve feet. The charming variety Tom Thumb, now so well known and generally cultivated as a bedding plant, or for outside of windows, is an universal favourite, and recently some seedlings from it have been raised equally dwarf, but having more perfectly formed flowers. About three years ago a very pretty variety, named Lucia-rosea, was introduced into this country from Paris, having flowers of a beautiful delicate colour, with the lower portion of the two upper petals white, being much admired; plants were soon in every nurseryman's possession throughout the country. The charming variety we now figure was raised by Mr. Salter, of Versailles Nursery, Hammersmith, from a seed obtained from Lucia-rosea, which had been impregnated by one of the dwarf scarlets. The plant is of dwarf habit, compact, and a profuse bloomer. It is a very lovely variety, and merits a place in every greenhous...