232 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



regular but moderate supplies of water. Do not at any time wet 

 the leaves. After a fortnight give air, and at last expose them fully. 

 By the middle of May, when other people think of beginning to 

 plant, yours will be in splendid bloom, and, as you will have plenty 

 of geraniums, you can at once begin summer colouring, not having 

 to wait two months for flowers, as must always be the case with the 

 bedding system. 



Lobelias. — AVe find it necessary to push these on early, and 

 stop them frequently, in order to obtain large plants that will quite 

 cover their pots with flowers. The favourite Specioaand Paxtoniana 

 are the best, but all are good ; perliaps Blue King would be of great 

 value for margins to mixed beds. Very fine plants may be grown in 

 48 size, but we always have a few specimens in 32 size, with heads 

 eighteen inches across. In growing these we use three parts manure 

 rotted to powder to one part of sandy loam, and give abundance of 

 water. 



Laege Eloweeing Pelargoniums are, as a rule, not at all 

 well adapted for this work, but a certain few of the claf*s called 

 " market flowers" are of great value, because of their abundance of 

 colour, and, generally speaking, stifi" habit of growth. One of the 

 best we have is Colleen Bawn, which produces vast quantities of 

 bright lilac-coloured flowers. "We also use Gauntlet and Brilliant, 

 and, in fact, have some of these out now (July 19), being their third 

 bloom this season. They were forced into bloom in January last, 

 went out of bloom in March ; bloomed again at the begiuning of 

 May, and w^ere then put out, lasted three weeks, and were then 

 slightly cut back and put in a sunny house, and have just burst into 

 bloom again. The plants of Colleen Bawn, that were out all through 

 the month of June, and until the Gauntlets lately took their places, 

 have been slightly cut back, and are in a sunny house, to make a 

 fresh bloom by the time the present Gauntlets are over. A dozen 

 or two free blooming kinds, with brilliant flowers, may be easily 

 selected from a good catalogue, or collection. Perhaps I may be 

 able to present further lists hereafter. 



Gladioli are not flrst-rate for the purpose, but they come in at 

 a season when they are likely to be useful. The best sorts for the 

 purpose are Brenchleyensis, Monsieur Blouet, and Bowiensis, I 

 strongly recommend that no other kinds be grown for plunging until 

 the cultivator has first tried a few to see how they answer, but the 

 three recommended are all that can be desired. Put three bulbs 

 each in 32-sized pots, using turfy peat chopped up with about a fifth 

 part of its bulk of sand. In potting have on the bench a heap of 

 dry flakes of old manure, and put a little of this over the crocks 

 instead of moss. When the potting is completed give no water, 

 and put the pots in a frame or greenhouse, where they will be always 

 in sight. When the green blade has grown an inch, begin to give 

 water, but \erj sparingly. Increase the supply as growth proceeds. 

 Put the pots out of d )ors, plunged to the rim in cocoa-nut fibre, 

 after the first week in May, and give abundance of water while the 

 flower spikes are rising. As soon as they begin to show colour, 

 take them to the spot they are to decorate, and mix them with 



