30 THE FLORIST. 



strike a cutting or two from each, destroying the old plant ; by 

 this means I save much room, as a plant thus obtained will bloom 

 earlier, and in a much smaller pot, than the parent would have 

 done. W. H. Story. 



WhiteMlh December 18, 1848. 



Pansies. — Very little attention will suffice this month. Prepare the 

 soil, and keep it dry for repotting those intended for blooming 

 under glass ; which operations should be performed about the 

 first of February, if the weather prove mild. Seedlings should be 

 looked over twice a- week, pressing those firmly in the soil that 

 have been loosened by worms. Give but little water to those in 

 pots. Pansies are still flowering gaily here (December 15), the 

 season hitherto having been so mild ; should severe frost follow, 

 they will require some protection. C. Turner. 



Chalvey, Slough. 



Pelargoniums. — The plants which have not been stopped back since 

 heading down will now require a little attention, to spread out 

 their branches, that air and sun may be freely admitted. The 

 way in which I do this is as follows : I tie a piece of twisted bast 

 round the outside of the pot, just under the rim, and then fasten 

 down each branch to it, at proper distances apart. This is at 

 the first going over them. At the second time, when the shoots 

 are too long to draw down in this way, I lay some sticks across 

 the tops of the pots, securing them to the bast under the rim. 

 By these attentions the plant soon attains its required form, and 

 the young shoots in the middle of the plant, where crowded 

 before, have that light and air admitted to them so essential for 

 their health and vigour. Where sticks are required in training 

 these young shoots, I carefully avoid pushing them amongst the 

 roots. In the Gardeners' Almanack, p. 39, the editor, in an arm- 

 chair article formed out of other people's materials, says, if a 

 " Pelargonium requires support, or to be displayed by being 

 fastened to sticks, it is a decided evidence of defective cultiva- 

 tion. It has been weakened by too high a temperature, or too 

 little light, or by an excess of water, or by neglected pruning." 

 If the editor had been practically acquainted with the subject, 

 he would have known, that what he asks for, " good robust 

 growth," is only to be obtained by the judicious application of 

 what he deprecates. At the time of exhibition, our plants require 

 no sticks, but as a support against the shaking of the carriage 

 over four and ten miles of granite roads, often so rough in the 

 latter case that it requires some care on the driver's part to keep 

 his seat. To remove all the supports before the show, and to 

 replace them after it is over, takes more time than we can obtain ; 

 and with every desire to exhibit their beauties to others, we make 

 a point of restoring them to their places in as good condition as 

 when they left home. I say, therefore, train out your young 

 shoots if you want ripened wood, and strong and abundant stalks, 



