1870.] SHOW PELARGONIUMS. 347 



dark maroon top petals; Mary Hoyle (Hoyle), a beautiful flower, 

 warm orange rose, small dark blotch on top petals lit up with bright 

 orange ; Queen of Roses (Beck), lively purple, shaded with rose, new 

 in colour, very attractive and free ; Regina Formosa (Beck), rose, dark 

 top petals ; Royal Albert (Hoyle), warm rose lower petals, large dark 

 blotch on top petals, a large and very fine flower ; Sceur de Charite 

 (Foster), rich painted orange lower petals, black top petals, a fine and 

 striking flower ; Sunbeam (Hoyle), rose lower petals, dark top petals, 

 remarkably free blooming ; Troubadour (Foster), lively orange pink, 

 dark spot on upper petals, a fine and striking flower ; and William 

 Hoyle (Hoyle), a very dark variety, warm rose lower petals, tinted 

 with orange and red, very fine, and novel in character. 



Let us suppose that an order is given to a nurseryman for a dozen 

 of these Pelargoniums for exhibition purposes. The best time to 

 receive the plants would be in October. They should then be in 

 48-pots. As soon as received the plants should be gently syringed 

 to clean them, the surface soil slightly stirred, and then placed in a 

 light and airy position to recover the effects of the journey from the 

 nursery. The plants should be well established, and if in vigorous 

 growth will soon require a shift into the next-sized pot, using good 

 yellow loam, enriched with some well-decomposed stable manure and 

 the addition of some silver sand. Each plant should have the aid of 

 a neat stake and air and light, and attention should be paid to Avater- 

 ing ; and in a month's time the plants will be ready for a farther shift 

 into a larger pot, in which they may remain until the end of January 

 or beginning of February, when they should be placed in their bloom- 

 ing-pots, using them of a size suited to the strength of each plant. It 

 is highly important for the cultivator to bear in mind that, as it is 

 necessary the pots be well filled with roots by the time the plants 

 come into bloom, they should not be overpotted, or they will make 

 rank growth at the expense of flower. As soon as the lower leaves 

 show symptoms of turning yellow during the spring, a little stimulus 

 will be requisite, and some clear weak manure water may be given 

 with benefit, and be continued until the buds are nearly ready to ex- 

 pand. Anything like forcing should be avoided, but a little fire-heat 

 will be beneficial in damp, dull, and foggy weather, and also whenever 

 the temperature sinks to near 40°. 



Cleanliness is a very important element in the culture of the Pelar- 

 gonium. No dead foliage should be allowed to remain on the plants, 

 and if the green leaves become dirty or dusty, they should be carefully 

 washed. Lay it down as a general rule that health and cleanliness 

 must be sedulously attended to, airing well even in winter, but avoid- 

 ing cold draughts of air, and keeping the plants free from damp. No 



