THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 55 



upon growers the conical or pyramidal form, a new feature for 

 the growth of these plants, which, when well organized, will prove 

 exceedingly interesting and highly appreciable. So soon as the 

 plants become well rooted (or better understood as pot-bound), 

 liquid manure may be given twice a week. Do not allow the 

 plant at any time to droop for want of water, bearing in mind 

 always that plenty of air — not currents of air passing through or 

 around the plant, but a free and general circulation — is conducive 

 to the health, free-flowering, and full development of chromula or 

 colour in the leaf and flower. Perhaps the Cape varieties will never 

 be so much in vogue as pot plants — they do not possess such bold 

 and showy nor so well-formed flowers ; still there is a great diversity 

 both of colour and foliage amongst them, and many will ever remain 

 favourites for the variety of scent in their foliage. To grow them 

 successfully, the soil as prescribed will suit them well, with the 

 addition of a little more peat earth, and a drier and rather warmer 

 temperature for the freer flowering of tbem. Many being tuberous 

 rooted, are better grown in pans, and kept nearer the surface of the 

 soil ; do not water so freely the more succulent kinds. 



The distinguishing properties of a good Pelargonium should be, 

 first, the flower consisting of five petals, not too much overlapping 

 each other, but well defined, smooth in outline, circular, and when 

 pressed open leaving a perfect and undivided circumference. What- 

 ever colour or colours, let them be well defined, smooth, and clear ; 

 the pedicel of the single flower must be long, and the truss having 

 pedicels of equal length — not one long and one short — all well 

 arranged on a stout peduncle forming a solid truss, yet displaying 

 each flower, not too high above the foliage, but well standing out 

 of it, and not covered by foliage ; which latter also is a matter of 

 great concern, and should not be too gross or spreading, but com- 

 pact, of good growth, distinct in its markings, free and nicely stand- 

 ing out, gradually diminishing in size as it rises, yet retaining its 

 character and definiteness of colour, etc. After the season hp.s 

 passed by — one, however, can hardly use such an expression, for 

 the Pelargonium is always in season, so cheerful and bright is it 

 either in foliage or flower — when October's sun hastens through 

 its meridian, the day is fast declining, and its shadows are long, 

 still on and on it lingers through o^ovember. At Christmas, when 

 other flowers are gone, a wee bit of Tom Thumb or some other still 

 keeps lingering on till spring-time is brightened by its beauty. 



There must be a period of rest, and if the Pelargonium ia^ a 

 good-natured plant, and does not require so much as many of its 

 congeners, it must not be over-worked. 



!So soon as it has effected the purpose of growing into a good 

 plant, covered itself with bloom, and taken off the first prize on 

 account of superiority of growth, and being much better both m 

 point of quality of flower and freeness of flowering, let it have rest ; 

 cutoff all flowers; stop back the growth to the required form ; 

 expose tiie plant to mature the wood before housing it again, and 

 so soon as new signs of life appear reduce the plant into a smaller 

 pot, keep close in a cool frame or house till it begins to grow ; 



