78 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



for late crops in particular, as it enables them more effeciually to cope 

 with long periods of drought, to which they are occasionally subjected. 

 Late crops should be rather thinly sown than otherwise, as I think by 

 taking this precaution their bearing period is prolonged. Regarding 

 the best varieties for late supplies, certain sorts will probably succeed 

 better in some localities than in others. Here, in the Western Isles, 

 with a uniformly humid atmosphere, Veitcb's Perfection and Cham- 

 pion of England, two good old sorts, have these two last years yielded 

 produce till the latter part of September. In fact, the former last season 

 afforded supplies much longer than the sowings I previously referred 

 to, which were originally intended for the latest supply. 



1). Mackie. 



ISLAY. 



ABOUT THE PELARGONIUM-ZOISrAIiS, TRICOLORS, &c. 



At the present day no flowering plant is so generally grown in Great 

 Britain as is the subject of this paper ; to give the expression its 

 French meaning, everybody grows it. And it well deserves its popu- 

 larity, being easy to propagate, easy to grow, will struggle on through 

 much bad management to which it is often subjected, and always 

 abundantly repays those who understand its wants and treat it accord- 

 ingly. As the writer of the article on this subject in the 'Gardener' 

 for 1870 has treated so ably on the getting up of specimens, we will 

 confine our remarks on it for ordinary greenhouse purposes. 



Cuttings can be struck with more or less certainty at any period of 

 the year, though it is only in the case of new varieties that propa- 

 gation in winter is to be recommended. Excepting where a house is 

 specially constructed for this purpose, no structure is better adapted 

 for it than a Pine-pit, and lacking that a plant-stove. Useful articles 

 for propagating are shallow wooden trays, such as are recommended at 

 page 422 of last volume. These ought to be filled to within half an 

 inch of the top with a compost of sifted leaf-mould and silver sand, 

 the latter preponderating. As a means of reducing the chances of 

 damping off, keep the base of the cutting as near the top of the com- 

 post as practicable : if the trays can be placed on the hot-water pipes, 

 roots will be formed all the sooner. A mode of propagating I tried 

 last spring and found most successful, is worthy of extended adoption. 

 It consists simply in cutting leaves which have a prominent bud in 

 their axils out of the stem ; it matters little or nothing how small a 

 piece of the stem is attached so long as the bud is there. They in 

 many cases formed roots quicker than cuttings, and many of them 

 made better plants ; but the main recommendation of this system is 



