THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 261 



in a pot or box, or plnnted in a border. The boi'der is, perhaps, to be 

 preferred in structures in which no staging is fixed, but that aystem 

 would be quite unsuitable where there are stages, because of the 

 risks to which the young growth would be exposed. In the house 

 in which our Lapagerias are growing we have a bed, upon which the 

 general stock of plants is placed, and as the surface of this is about 

 four feet above the pathway, it is near the glass, and the plants are, 

 practically speaking, out of the way of the snails. In similar posi- 

 tions beds are the best; but in the majority of houses it will be 

 better to put them in pots or boxes, and to place these receptacles 

 in a position so that the rim or edge, as the case may be, is on a 

 level with the stage, or an inch or so above it. Instead of putting 

 them in a small put, and shifting them on as may become needful, 

 let a large pot or a box, not less than thirty inches square, be fixed 

 in its position, and then prepared for the reception of the plant. In 

 the first place, put from four to six inches of crocks in the bottom, 

 cover with a layer of rough peat or flaky leaf-mould, and fill with 

 peat and loam in the proportion of two parts of the former to one 

 of the latter. It must be mixed together before it is put in the 

 pot, and as this is being done, add a liberal sprinkling of sharp silver 

 sand. Press rather firm, put out the plants, and let the supplies 

 of water be moderate uutil the plants are well established. Lapa- 

 gerias luxuriate in an abundance of moisture at the roots, and, when 

 in a small state, sufficient must be applied to thoroughly moisten the 

 soil about the plant, but no attempt should be made to soak every 

 particle of soil contained in the pot or box, because of the risk of 

 its becoming sour by the time it is well filled with roots. 



With reference to the general management of these plants, it 

 will suffice to say that the soil must be maintained in a moist state 

 at all times, but during the summer season water must be supplied 

 in a liberal manner ; and provided the drainage is all right, there 

 will be no danger of their receiving too much. The roots should be 

 trained near the glass, and after the plants have attained a con- 

 siderable size, a portion of the old wood must be removed annually, 

 to make way for the young growth. If thinning is neglected, the 

 young wood from which the flowers may be expected will not enjoy 

 sufficient light and air to insure their proper development, and the 

 natural sequence, a profusion of flowers. 



SPECIMEN ZONAL PELARGONIUMS. 



BY J. WILLIAMSON. 



PECIMEN ZONAL PELARGONIUMS are so valuable 

 for conservatory decoration during the summer that I 

 shall make no apology for alluding to their production. 

 Something better is required in the conservatory than 

 plants of the same size as those bedded out in the flower 

 garden, but the huge convex specimens presented at first-class exhi- 

 bitions are not desirable ; the former produce a very poor effect, and 



, Biptember. 



