1870.] ZONAL PELARGONIUMS FOR EXHIBITION. 419 



truss, that we may naturally look by-and-by to such a fusion of the 

 two divisions as shall result in one improved type that will swallow 

 up the distinction, but leave us, nevertheless, a section perfect in beauty 

 and in form, and possessing all those features that make the Nosegays 

 so popular both for bedding and pot-culture. I purpose in this paper 

 to deal with the three sections of Zonal Pelargoniums here enumer- 

 ated, and describe as logically as I can in what manner I prepare my 

 own specimens, having usually been fortunate as an exhibitor in my 

 day and generation since I first took them in hand. 



Perhaps it will not be out of place to state at the outset that there 

 is no exhibition plant that appears more to dislike training, or less to 

 require a formal severity of shape, than the Pelargonium ; and yet, in 

 spite of these facts, there are to be found plenty of judges ready and 

 willing to make leading awards to plants that have been subjected to 

 a degree of training and torture that would be ridiculous were it not 

 that it is almost disgusting in appearance. Who that has visited 

 metropolitan shows is not familiar with those flattened surfaces bear- 

 ing a resemblance to giant floral Mushrooms 1 or, if you like, flower- 

 beds upon wire ? What a miserable parody on plants do these things 

 present, tortured and twisted out of natural form, devoid of all grace 

 and beauty ! They add another instance of the fitness of the saying, 

 "that nature gave us form and outline, and humanity alone are its 

 despoilers." 



As a reverse to this, I have lately seen staged for competition at a 

 provincial show a lot of pillar -trained plants, from 4 to 6 feet in 

 height, certainly fairly flowered, but nevertheless looking so ungainly 

 as to merit ridicule rather than praise. Unfortunately against them 

 there was no competition, otherwise I should have viewed with some 

 interest the awards of the judges, as, in spite of size and flower, I could 

 not conceive that any sensible men would have placed these statuesque 

 abortions before well and naturally grown specimens. As a mode of 

 training to obtain plenty of bloom the pillar plant may be very useful, 

 but for exhibition it only deserves disqualification. 



My own specimens have usually been prepared for autumn exhibi- 

 tion — say beginning of September ; and having this in view, I get some 

 cuttings and put them in early in the previous year, and when well 

 rooted, potted up into 48's to stand the winter, giving the shoots their 

 first stopping. In an ordinary greenhouse these plants will not make 

 much growth during the winter, but by the beginning of April will be 

 ready for a shift into 32's, giving any robust shoots another pinching. 

 Plenty of air and light is necessary now to maintain robust short- 

 jointed growth, and by the time the pots are well filled with roots the 

 cold weather will have passed away, and the external air may be safely 



