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THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



but when the proper mode of cooking is 

 once hit upon, the yam is deliciously white, 

 mealy, and of a most agreeable flavour. 



The Custard Gourd, one of the most 

 curiously-formed of the interesting family 



of squashes, is the Lest of all the marrows 

 for a summer vegetable. The ordinary cul- 

 ture of gourds is all that it requires — a rich 

 loam and plenty of rotten manure; or better 



still, a sod formed chiefly of pond scrapings, 



which is the best of all for every kind of 

 marrow, encumber, and melon. Sow in a 

 moist hot bed anytime from March to June, 

 and grow in frames in the same way as any 

 other marrow. If you have no frames, 

 make up a bed of warm dung, with six 

 inches of loam on the top, and sow the last 

 week in April under hand glasses. There 

 will be sufficient heat to start the plants, 

 and by giving air by degrees, the glasses 

 may be removed by the time the plants 

 have three or four rough leaves ; after which 

 time they require plenty of water in dry 

 weather. I have long been in the habit of 

 growing fine cucumbers, marrows, and me- 

 lons on this plan, using a lot of litter mixed 

 with dung, leave=, &c., to cause a moderate 

 and continuous bottom heat, and protecting 

 the plants with hand-glasses only, or even 

 with bottomless flower-pots, with a pane of 

 glass laid over the top till the summer was 

 sufficiently advanced to allow of their 

 full exposure. The custard marrow should 

 not be allowed to grow to its full size for 

 cooking purposes ; I prefer them when not 

 larger than a half-pint beer measure ; they 

 then require but a few minutes' boiling, and 

 when mashed up with butter and pepper, 

 are a dish in every way fit to be " set before 

 a king." 



An Old Gardener. 



HINTS ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE PELARGONIUM. 



BY ME CHARLES TURNER, OF 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 twelve- 

 month 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 water- 

 ing, 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 



