1870.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 287 



Early Green Peas. — On Tuesday the 10th, Mr George Green, gardener to 

 the Venerable Archdeacon Fitzgerald, of Charton Mackrell, near Somerton, 

 Somerset, gathered from the rectory garden his first dish of green Peas for this 

 season, grown in the open border, their only shelter having been the garden 

 wall. This season being generally pronounced late, the 10th of May will be con- 

 sidered extremely early for green Peas. They were sown on the 22d of last 

 November. Cobbett gives (in his ' Gardener's Guide ') the 4th of June as very good 

 work for Peas in the open border. " In the old garden at Brympton d'Everecy, 

 when I lived there as a boy, we used to get them about the end of May, which was 

 considered very early for outdoor Peas." The beautiful rain which we have had 

 has caused great progress in the crops here. Under Kendall's ground vineries I 

 have Strawberries nearly ripe ; they were turned out of the pots and planted in the 

 ground on the 1st of March. Every villa garden ought to have them, the vineries 

 being so cheap, and easily put up. — T. S., Hermeston House, Yeovil. 



Treatment of Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, and Calceolarias for Exhi- 

 bition. — I have plants of Calceolarias, Pelargoniums, Geraniums, and Fuchsias, 

 which I want to exhibit at a horticultural show the last week in August. The 

 Pelargoniums and Fuchsias are in 8 -inch pots, the Calceolarias in 5-inch pots. 

 I wish to know if I am to go on repotting the plants, and stopping the shoots, 

 so as to have a good show of bloom at the right time ? And will you state how 

 many weeks before the show I must allow the plants to bloom 1 whether you 

 think the blooming of each plant can be deferred till the time at which they are 

 to be exhibited ? and also, if a cold frame is the proper place in which to keep 

 the plants till they are wanted for show 1 Annie Marris. 



[Pelargoniums, both show and fancy kinds, if they have not been stopped re- 

 cently, may have the points of the shoots pinched out at once, tying out the shoots 

 into shape, and keeping the plants well supplied with water, so as to have them in 

 bloom by the end of August. Let them remain in 8-inch pots, for it is a great 

 mistake to over-pot them, as too much pot-room results in a superabundance of 



foliage and too little flower. If, however, the plants are now " pot-bound" 



that is, very full of roots — the plants may be shifted into the next-sized pots, 

 taking care that the pots are not much larger ; but do not do this unless you fear 

 the foliage may turn yellow for want of pot-room before the end of August. 

 Rather place your plants in pans, with a little moss and manure in them, so that 

 the plants may root through into the pans, and moisture be retained at the roots. 

 Pick off the blooms at present, and keep the plants both growing and shaded from 

 the sun ; and about a month or five weeks before the day of exhibition, according 

 to the appearance of the buds, place the plants close to the glass, exposed to air 

 and light, but keeping up a supply of water. A little thoughtful attention then 

 will soon lead you to form an opinion whether you will hit the right time. You 

 cannot do better than adopt a similar plan for zonal Pelargoniums (what you term 

 Geraniums). If you are growing Tricolor and Bronze variegated Pelargoniums, 

 do not over-pot them, but keep them close to the glass, well watered, and well 

 ventilated, in order to get growth and colour in the leaves. If you want large 

 specimen Fuchsias, re-pot into 10 or 12 inch pots at once. Grow these on in a 

 shaded moist house or deep pit, syringing often, and stopping them until the 

 middle of June ; then push them on into growth, and, as soon as the buds form, 

 gradually harden them off for the exhibition, and, say, for three weeks before, 

 expose them to plenty of light, with adequate ventilation, to get size and colour of 

 bloom. Use weak manure-water or Standen's manure for them, and see that the 

 plants get plenty of water. 



