i8 7 o.] CULTURE OF PELARGONIUMS. 545 



The scale (Aspidiotus concliiformis) sometimes is very hurtful to 

 the Peach and Nectarine. Should it make its appearance and 

 increase to any great extent, the tree ought to be gone over, and the 

 little intruder rubbed off with a hard brush in summer. In winter 

 this operation may again be performed, and the tree afterwards 

 painted over with a gentle mixture of tobacco juice, black soap, and 

 sulphur, with soot or clay added, to give the whole consistency. This, 

 in most cases, will meet the end in view upon the first, and almost 

 certainly upon the second, application. James M'Millan. 



(To be continued.) 



THE CULTURE OF GOLD AND BRONZE AND VARIE- 

 GATED ZONAL (TRICOLOR) PELARGONIUMS. 



As the winter approaches, bright colours seem to become more 

 bright, and certainly more attractive and valuable, as leaden skies and 

 dull days prevail. With the decline of flowers comes the necessity for 

 foliaged plants to supply their place, and so the continuity of decora- 

 tive agents is sustained. It is at this time that the subjects at the 

 head of this paper come in to render valuable aid, when their beautiful 

 leaves are seen to the best advantage. 



The effect of a few of these plants in a greenhouse, when neatly 

 grown and well coloured, is very charming ; and the value of nice, 

 young, gay -looking plants for table decoration can hardly be over- 

 estimated. Many objections have been urged against the tricolor 

 section of Pelargoniums, on the ground of want of vigour of constitu- 

 tion; but this experience must have been in a great measure owing to 

 some defect of cultivation. To such ones I say try again, for there 

 can be but little difficulty about the growth of any plant that can be 

 sustained in vigorous health during the winter in a temperature vary- 

 ing from 40° to 50°. This is the case in the matter of both the gold 

 and bronze and tricolor sections of Pelargoniums. 



There is certainly some difference of detail in the mode of treating 

 these two divisions, and therefore it will be advisable to dwell on 

 them separately, and I will take the tricolors first. 



As to Soil and Potting. — Like some other plants, Tricolor Pelar- 

 goniums will grow in almost any soil; but that best adapted is a com- 

 bination of two parts of light fibry loam, broken up into small lumps — 

 one part leaf-mould, the other part composed equally of well-decomposed 

 horse-droppings and river-sand. I am proceeding on the assumption 

 that the cuttings put in some time previously are ready for potting. 



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