ON THE CULTURE OF PELARGONIUMS. 243 



in, the facility for readily shading is afforded. Some of the extensive 

 growers have hoards, a foot or so deep, placed along the sides at about 

 five feet apart, and have hoops over, so as to throw mats over for 

 shading, protection from excessive wet, or to afford security against 

 a sudden frost in autumn. 



Ahout the last week in September, the plants are usually removed 

 into the house or cool frame, where they are placed as near the glass 

 as circumstances admit of; at the same time they are re-potted into 

 forty-eights, and the leading shoots stopped at the third or fourth 

 joint ; this induces the production of lateral shoots, and causes the 

 plants to become bushy. The compost used is one-half well-enriched 

 turfy loam, and the other leaf-mould and sandy peat, to which is added 

 a small portion of bone-dust ; but this is given with caution, and never 

 near the surface of the soil. When fire-heat is required, its applica- 

 tion is only so as to keep the temperature of the house at about forty 

 degrees; and, whenever admissible by day, to give all that can be, 

 so frost is kept out. 



About the middle of December the plants are re-potted into thirty- 

 twos. After this potting, the temperature of the house is increased 

 for about three weeks, so as to stimulate the roots immediately to 

 push afresh, as well as to obtain an early supply of new shoots. 



About the middle of February the plants are again shifted into a 

 size larger, any shoots requiring to be stopped are done, and each 

 shoot is tied separately to a proper stake. 



At the end of March the plants are carefully examined, and very 

 freely thinned of the lateral shoots, and a regular distribution retained. 

 In order to have the plant uniform in growth, a small stick is put to 

 each shoot, to which it is secured, and the arrangement made so as to 

 be uniform. Those plants that have filled the pots with roots require 

 shifting into larger, and they are carefully done, keeping the balls 

 entire, as in the former potting, in the compost using a good portion 

 of rotten cow-dung. Twice a-day they require to be syringed over 

 the tops. 



About the end of April, or the first week in May, the plants are 

 looked over again, and a considerable thinning of the shoots ngain 

 takes place, leaving the most vigorous ones for blooming. A careful 

 attention is always given to the watering of the plants, to prevent 

 them flagging. Where there is the opportunity, and superior speci- 



y2 



