THE GERANIUM. 123 
trade resort for the profession generally; and next 
comes Sutton—first or last, they bear a good name. 
The Geraniums should be propagated annually from 
cuttings of the short-jointed young stuff taken off with 
a small heel of the solid young wood, as early as it can 
be had, for very early and strong young plants, to flower 
in May or the beginning of June. As soon as the cuttings 
are well rooted, pot them off into small pots singly — 
large 60-size pots—three and a half inches in diamete1 3 
and nip out the point of every plant, and continue to do 
so, as soon as young growth is made of two inches in 
length, until the middle of March, when the stopping 
should be discontinued, or else the flowering will be late. 
The longer the stopping is continued, the later will bethe 
flower. The main thing is to strike the plants as early 
as possible, say about May or the beginning of June, and 
then get the young plants on well, and stop them so as 
to form them dwarf and quite stemless, covering a five- 
and-a-half-inch pot before the winter ; then the founda- 
tion for a fine flower, and an early one too, is laid. 
In the month of October (earlier if a wet season) 
place the plants in the house where they are to remain 
for the winter, admitting all the air possible to them. 
Give no fire heat at first, except the weather is very 
wet and cold, then a little may be put on to drive off 
the damp, admitting an abundance of air daily, to 
keep the plants dry about the foliage, and not too 
moist about the root. The chief thing is not to excite 
the plants any more than is necessary at this time, nor 
indeed till the month of March, when more stimulants 
may be given them; not, however, in the shape of heat, 
but in that of very weak liquid manure once a week 
from March until they are in flower. But I particularly 
