NOVEMBER. 347 



fine themselves, and not attempt to teach practical gardeners what they 

 themselves do not understand. Mr. Rivers erred in going beyond this. 

 The horticultural world is much indebted to him for having originated 

 so easy a means of proving foreign varieties of fruits, &c. 



Glass is now cheap enough, consequently good houses can be 

 put up at a very moderate price. I am as great an advocate for 

 orchard-houses as Mr. Rivers, but I would have them well built. I 

 would have them span-roofed, with glass at the sides. I would have 

 them well ventilated, and heated by hot water. To attempt to grow 

 Grapes in span-roofed houses not heated will end in disappointment. 

 When orchard-houses are heated with hot water. Vines can be grown 

 up the rafters, and every other kind of fruit can be grown from trees 

 planted in the inside borders. A house of this description, in the 

 hands of a practical man, will jiay, which is more than one of 

 Mr. Rivers's houses will do in the hands of an amateur. 



Pomona. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE PELARGONIUM. 

 The following brief remarks, which are seasonable, we extract from 

 a paper on the cultivation of the Pelargonium, issued with Mr. Turner's 

 Catalogue, from the Royal Nursery, Slough. 



" The successful cultivation of the Pelargonium very much depends 

 upon its treatment in the autumn : it is not possible to have fine plants 

 in bloom in May or June unless due attention has been paid to them 

 in the previous autumn. This is especially the case with young plants ; 

 they should have prompt and constant attention and every assistance 

 that they can have from the moment they are struck. Any delay in 

 potting when needed, allowing them to be a prey to aphides, or neglect 

 in any particular, will surely tell injuriously upon the bloom. The 

 following hints are therefore offered in reference more especially to new 

 plants from the nurseries. First, as soon as the plants are received 

 (and the earlier they are received the better) let them be made as 

 clean as possible ; stir the surface of the soil a little, and place them in 

 a light airy situation to recover the effects of the journey: two or 

 three days will generally be sufficient for this. Then examine the 

 roots, and, if needed (which will usually be the case), repot them into 

 the next sized pots ; good mellow loam, enriched with an equal bulk of 

 stable litter laid together a twelvemonth previous, and occasionally 

 turned, will, with the addition of a little silver sand, be a suitable 

 compost. Put a stake to each plant, and let them have regular attention 

 to watering, air, and light ; in three or four weeks they will be ready 

 for another shift into the next sized pot, in which they may remain 

 until the end of January or beginning of February, when they should 

 be put into their blooming pots, using pots suited to the strength of 

 each plant, and bearing in mind that as it is necessary that the 

 pots be well filled with roots by the time the plants come into bloom, 

 care should be taken not to overpot. As soon as the lower leaves turn 

 yellow in the spring a little clear weak manure water may be used 

 with advantage, and be continued until the bloom is nearly ready to 



