A really good white is still a desideratum; and though yellow-leaved kinds can, to a certain extent, be used for yellow beds, a yellow or orange colour is also greatly wanted. There are shades of other colours also wanting, but I make no doubt they will be forthcoming ere long. When we get these colours we shall be able to plant some of our parterres entirely with bedding Geraniums, and have them pictures of brilliancy and beauty from the middle of May to the end of October. In speaking thus of the Geranium, let it not be understood that I would wish to see other plants driven from the garden, or their cultivation neglected -- quite the contrary, the great fault I find in most places now-a-days is the fewness of the variety of plants grown.

Many hours of my boyhood were spent after schooltime in a flower garden, which contained in those days as great, if not a greater, variety of plants as any private establishment in the united kingdom. It was a walled enclosure, and a variety of of sterling things were on these walls -- there wer Myrtles, Jasmines, Honeysuckles, Clematises, and Roses in great variety; there were also Wistarias, Maurandyas, and Lophospermums -- the two latter stood out in the winter. There were also Magnolias and many other things too numerous to mention. Beneath the Myrtles, at the foot of the wall, were Violets, which produced abundance of flower all the winter through. In the borders were magnificent specimens of Camellias, Azaleas, Pittosporums, Eucalytpus, Acacias, and numbers of other greenhouse plants. There were some grand plants of Hydrangeas, and a large border of Rhododendrons and Azaleas.

Of hardy perennials there was a large and varied assortment. There were beds for bulbs of all descriptions. Annuals were largely grown -- indeed, to enumerate a tenth part of the things that were grown would occupy more than the limits of this sheet. I have been induced to mention these matters, that when speaking of bedding plants and modern flower-gardening, that no person should think me so partial to it as to see no beauty in anything else. I would wish to see a garden like the one in which so many happy hours of my boyhood were spent, in every place of note in the kingdom. In them we would have something fersh to admire every day in the year. But I would not have them as accompaniments to an architectural building of any pretentions -- here, though they would be totally out of place and character, they should occupy some sheltered spot at a convenient distance from the mansion. The parterre with its vases, fountains, an statues is the proper accompaniment to an architectural building.

I have, however, digressed from my subject, and must now return to it. Having in the July Number given some directions for the propagation of a young stock of bedding Geraniums, I now offer a few remarks on wintering the old plants; the season for lifting and potting them being at hand. However large the stock of young plants may be that we have, it is very desirable to save as many of the old plants as we can conveniently do, as they make a fine show immediately they are planted out in May. Those who have plenty of heated glass structures at command will have no difficulty in keeping as many plants as they desire. Those who possess only a cold pit or a frame may keep their plants by attending to a few simple matters. the cottager, even, who has neither pit nor frame, may keep a few plants to decorate his humble border with.

The essential conditions necessary for success I will now briefly narrate. The first great point is to lift the plants before they get the least frozen. If the ends of the shoots are in the slightest degree injured by frost, it is useless attempting to keep them in a cold pit or frame, and they had as well be at once consigned to the rubbish heap to save further trouble. As the variegated kinds have a fine effect in the autumn when the flowers of the other plants are fast fading away, people are sometimes induced to leave them in the garden too late, when a sudden frost completely kill the whole.

They should never be left in the open beds later than the middle of October, as much earlier as they can possibly be taken up the better it is, as they make fresh roots sooner than when lifted in the season. Advantage should be taken of fine weather to lift the whole whilst dry. Where space is limited all the Scarlets should be put pretty close into boxes in a nice light turfy soil, which should be made pretty firm about the roots. Before being put into the boxes all the large leaves should be carefully picked off, and any straggling shoots there might happen to be should be cut carefully off. If the soil be in a proper state when the plants are put into the boxes, no water need be given for a few days, as the plants will not flag if all the large leaves are picked off, and they will root sooner if the soil is not too moist.

As many plants as it may be desirable to keep should be put into boxes in this manner, and the whole should then be placed in a cold pit or fram, and should be kept rather close until they begin to root into the fresh soil, when air should be given daily, and it should be increased as the plants get better rooted. The commoner kinds of Scarlets, if lifted when quite dry, and all the leaves picked off, and soil shaken off the roots, may be buried in very dry sand; charcoal dust, or any other dry substance, where they will be safe from frost, and will keep safely until spring, when the whole should be potted and put into a pit or frame, which should be kept rather close -- or, what is better, into a vinery where there is a little heat, if such a thing is at command.

Some of the stronger growing kinds of the variegated Geraniums may be put into boxes like the Scarlets, but all the finer and more delicate sorts should be potted separately into as small pots as they can be conveniently got into, using light turfy soil made firm about the roots, A few of the larger leaves may be picked off, but the operation must on no account be carried to the same extent as with Scarlets. Where there are plenty of heated structures, as I have already remarked, there is no difficulty in safely and satisfactorily wintering bedding Geraniums of all kinds in the best possible condition; but where there are only cold pits and frames it is not quite so easy a matter, though there can be no difficutly if the following directions are carried out:

When all the plants are carefully lifted and put into boxes and pots, they should then be placed in a cold pit or frame, and should be kept close until they begin to make fresh roots, No water should be given until the plants show evident symptoms of a want of it, then a fine morning should be chosen to give them a good watering with a rose-pot; after this they will not require another watering at this season for a week or ten days. Plants potted the beginning of October will towards the end of the month have made good roots into the fresh soil. It is a point of great importance to get the plants well rooted before the dark days come on; as well-rooted plants are easily kept even in a cold pit or frame -- but when plants are badly rooted a great many die off during the winter.

About the beginning of November the whole should be gone over and regulated for the winter. If boards can be had they should be placed on bricks or pieces of wood, so as to be 2 or 3 inches from the bottom of the pits or frames, and the plants should stand on these. They will do much better this way than when placed on the damp bottom, as dryness in one of the greatest essentials in keeping softwooded plants of all kinds in frames through the winter.

From the 1st of November to the 1st of March water should be given only when absolutely required. Damp is the great enemy to contend against. Air should be given at all times when the state of the weather permits. Coverings at night should be well attended to, but they should never remain on during the daytime when the glass is not frozen, as the plants need all the light they can get.

By carefully attending to these matters the most delicate Geranium, if well rooted , can be wintered in a cold pit or frame. As no plant is more easily kept in the windows of a dwelling-room than the Geranium, the cottager can easily winter his plants. If he would lift his plants early, and put them into boxes made to fit the window-boards, using the best and lightest soil in his garden, and making it firm about the roots of the plants, he will have little difficulty in keeping them over the winter. The danger is that the plants may get killed by too much attention rather than too little. In general too much water does a deal of mischief. Too much water given before the plants make any fresh roots, is the cause of thousands of badly-rooted plants dying off during the winter.

By keeping the soil moderately dry, by giving air at every favourable opportunity, by never letting the plants get the least touched by frost, and by letting them have all the light possible, there is not the least difficulty in keeping the Geraniums thorugh the winter in the windows of a cottage.

Stourton.

M.Saul