The American Rural Home describes a fine bed of Geraniums, at Elwood estate, Rochester, N. Y. The gardener commences making cuttings for the next year's bed in July, which he strikes in pots, and keeps in his green house through the winter. He aims to grow a large number of strong, healthy plants to select from. The bed, which is a large one, is laid out in the form of a palm leaf, the smaller end pointing toward the center of the carriage entranoe from the street, and dividing the carriageway in front of the piazza, and main entrances of the mansion.

The preparation of the soil is a very important part of the process. The natural soil is strong, heavy loam, into which he works a good quantity of fine barn-yard manure, and well rotted leaf-mold from the woods.

The bed is thrown up higher in the middle than the outside, to give a convex surface, or the same result may be produced by selecting the tallest plants for the middle. The outside border of the bed is a strip of sod about two feet wide, the grass on which is kept closely shaven, as is the lawn. Inside of this border are planted two rows of Bijou geranium, a dwarf variety, with light green leaves, bordered and striped with white. These are very shy bloomers, but their green and white foliage affords a striking contrast to the scarlet mass of the body of the bed. Inside of this border the bed is closely planted with General Grant geraniums, the healthiest plant, and most profuse and brilliant bloomer in the family. He aims to transplant into the bed near the last of May, when all fear of frosts and chilling winds is past. After they are once started, he uses no water upon them, but keeps the surface mellow during the season by a free use of the hoe, and trims off the different trusses as they are done blooming.

Under such management the bed presents a slightly convex, but very even, regular surface. As seen from the street, five or six rods distant, the broad gravel carriage road, the border of deep green grass, the inner border of light green and white-leaved geraniums, and then the large center of brilliant scarlet, altogether form a picture upon which the eye rests from day to day with unwearied delight.