A. P. (Trenton, H. J.) You make your beds too rich for the Scarlet Geraniums, and therefore they run to leaf. They want the full sunshine, and a light, deep soil, not rich. Hydrangeas make a splendid bed, and may be kept there all winter by covering them with tan, and then turning a box over the tan to keep it dry. The White Salvia patens is for sale by all the leading florists.

Bedding Plants #1

About the 10th of this month all bedding plants may be planted out. It is always best to harden them off, as it were, for a few days after being received from the green-house, by placing them in an open frame and shading them slightly. If planted out in the border immediately when received from the forcing frames or green-houses, they often flag and die. It is also always best to head them back one third to one half in planting, thus taking away the most succulent and unripe parts, leaving the supplies from the roots to fill more perfectly and push forward with new vigor the remaining buds.

Bedding Plants #2

The California Horticulturist raises the question, why such beautiful flowering plants as the Cineraria, with its endless varieties of blooms; the Salvia Splendens, with its magnificent scarlet spikes; or some of the Begonias, with their exquisite drooping clusters, are not cultivated to a greater extent, as bedding plants in the open ground, during the summer. When we inquire the reason for this, we are told that they would perish during the winter, thereby occasioning a great deal of trouble and expense consequent upon their replacement in the spring.

Bedding Plants #3

Peg down a few of the leading shoots of such plants as verbenas and petunias, and stake and tie up dahlias for exhibition flowers; but when only required for decorative purposes, the plants are better pegged down. They look better than when staked, and it is also an advantage when stakes are scarce. Any other large plants requiring stakes should be noticed after rough winds, for if loosened in the ground, they do not grow satisfactorily. Keep the soil constantly stirred among young plants, with the hoe; it not only prevents weeds from growing, but warms the soil, and prevents its drying out in hot, dry weather. It is a mistake to attempt watering every plant when established in the ground; they will usually do much better without, and if watering is commenced, it must be continued, or the plants suffer much more than if not watered at all. Exceptions must be made to such plants as large ferns, palms, humeas and other large plants, in or out of pots, used for temporary decoration of the pleasure ground.

Bedding Plants #1

One of the most beautiful plants that we have grown this season is the Coleus Verschaffellii. It is an ornamental leaved plant, being of a very striking dark crimson. In the open air it is of a compact, symmetrical form, and grows rapidly. Either in masses or singly, it is a very beautiful object. It is propagated by cuttings with the utmost ease. We think it is destined to be a very popular summer border plant. It is not hardy.

"I am inclined to think very highly of Lobelia Mazarine Blue. In a mass, and at a distance, it has a more true-blue effect (and what commendation can be higher than this) than any other summer bedding plant I am acquainted with.

Myosotis Empress Elizabeth will, I think, prove an acquisition. It remained in bloom with me last year the whole season.

Tropaeolum Cooperi still maintains the high character stamped upon it by Mr. D. Thompson, and resists frost better than most kinds.

Celosia Huttoni bedded beautifully, and was very distinct in shape and growth. - Journal of Horticulture.