PELARGONIUM. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
271 
of half loam and sand, the remainder all 
sand ; give a little water, but do not make 
the soil too wet. An ordinary frame, with 
plenty of air continually on, fully exposed 
in the open air at this season will answer. 
When well rooted put them singly in 
3-inch pots, using good loam with some 
rotten dung and a little sand added ; pot 
firm, pressing the soil well down. Keep 
rather close in a frame or house for a week, 
with a little water, but not so much as 
many things would bear. When top 
growth has fairly begun pinch out the 
points of the shoots, stand close to the glass 
with plenty of air in the daytime and no 
shade. Keep the soil drier through the 
autumn, and towards the end of the year 
move them into 5 or 6 inch pots, still keep- 
ing them as near the roof as possible in an 
airy house, with a little heat on cold nights, 
so as to keep the temperature about 45°. 
Pelargoniums will do with less warmth 
than this, but are better with it. Tie out 
the shoots horizontally close down to the 
rims of the pots ; if this is not attended to 
while the growth is soft and pliable it can- 
not be done afterwards. Give much less 
water than most things require, and never 
apply it in the winter season until the soil 
is all but quite dry, for the roots of Pelar- 
goniums are at all times less able to bear 
the soil in a wet state than almost any 
other plants ; even in spring, when in full 
growth, care must be taken in this matter, 
particularly with the fancy varieties. If 
the plants are wanted to bloom early the 
shoots must not be stopped again, but if to 
flower later pinch out the points again 
when potted the second time. When the 
bloom buds are visible give weak manure- 
water once a week ; shade from the sun 
when in flower. After blooming turn the 
plants out-of-doors for two or three weeks 
to ripen the shoots, giving little water, 
then head them down to within two or 
three eyes of the bottom, and stand them 
in a frame so that they may not get wet by 
heavy rains ; apply no water to the soil 
except by syringing once a day. As soon 
as they have broke into growth shake 
away most of the old soil, and return the 
plants to the same pots with new. Keep 
them close for a week or two with little 
water to the soil, still sprinkling them over- 
head with the syringe in the afternoons. 
When the roots have had time to move, 
and shoot growth has made a little pro- 
gress, give water. Treat afterwards as 
advised through the preceding autumn, 
and again about November give pots an 
inch or two larger; thus managed the 
plants will last many years. LEight-inch 
pots are big enough for Pelargoniums 
of any kind, however large or old they 
may be; by shaking out as advised after 
flowering the soil gets renewed, and by the 
use of manure-water in the height of the 
growing season they may be grown to a 
large size. The early blooming varieties 
of Pelargonium, with elegant frilled flowers, 
are now deservedly in favour ; they bloom 
profusely through the late winter and early 
spring months, and also in the summer, if 
the shoots are stopped as already suggested. 
Their treatment is in no way different, 
except that for early flowering they must 
be kept warmer in the winter. 
The Zonal varieties, double and single, 
are the best for autumn and winter bloom- 
ing, for which purpose plants should be 
prepared by striking cuttings in spring, 
and growing them on with plenty of light 
and abundance of air through the summer, 
keeping them in the autumn and on during 
the winter as near the glass as can be in 
a temperature of 48° or 50°, with air 
on night and day. This section, as 
also the Nosegay varieties, are not so im- 
patient of water as the kinds first treated 
of. 'The Bronze varieties will succeed with 
treatment in all respects similar to the 
Zonals. 
The Tricolor section, both the silver and 
gold varieties, are slower growers than the 
kinds cultivated for their flowers, and 
should have less pot-room until they have 
gained size; their propagation and after 
treatment is such as recommended for the 
large-flowered and fancy kinds. The same 
applies to the Ivy-leaved varieties, which 
have been much improved of late, and are 
deserving of being extensively grown in 
hanging baskets, and for general decorative 
use. 
The treatment detailed applies to all 
the sections of Pelargonium except the 
Cape species and their hybrids, which are 
best increased by root cuttings made of 
bits of the strong roots; they should be 
cut in lengths of about an inch and inserted 
in sand so as to just leave the top above 
the surface. They may be struck in spring 
standing them in a temperature of 55° or 
60°, and keeping them slightly moist but 
not wet or too close; when they have 
made 2 or 3 inches of top growth, pot them 
singly, and treat subsequently as advised 
for the others. These Cape species are 
weak growers, and must have less pot- 
room than the other kinds. 
The lemon-scented sorts of Pelargonium 
grown for their perfume, and their elegant 
Fern-like leaves, so well adapted for using 
amongst cut flowers, require to be treated 
in their several stages like the flowering 
varieties. ' 
