244 ON THE CULTURE OF PELARGONIUMS. 



mens are desired, liquid manure water is occasionally given ; the 

 plants, too, are frequently syringed over the tops, and the house 

 shaded. When the green fly makes its appearance, either the house 

 is smoked or diluted tobacco-water is syringed over the plant?, which 

 effectually destroys the insect. Plants thus attended to become fine 

 specimens, blooming profusely and vigorously. 



When the blooming season is over, the plants are removed to an 

 exposed situation for a week or ten days, and then are headed down 

 so as to leave each shoot about three inches long. As soon as they 

 have pushed shoots about two inches long, they are re-potted ; the 

 old soil is nearly all shook off the roots ; they are shortened too, and 

 again planted, each in a pot two sizes less than it had been in. 

 Where there are numerous lateral shoots now produced, they are 

 stripped oft', so as to leave but a due proportion. These plants are 

 again re-potted in February, into twelves, in a compost as before 

 directed ; they are afterwards thinned and otherwise treated, as done 

 the previous year. These plants make superior specimens to the first 

 season, in size and vigour. When, however, an extraordinary speci- 

 men is desired, the plant is not allowed to bloom much the first year, 

 so as to throw all the vigour possible into the wood. It is cut down, 

 as done to the others, to furnish a supply of laterals, and treated in 

 all other respects as above directed. 



The following particulars of treatment practised by the most suc- 

 cessful grower, Mr. Cook, of Chiswick, was given us by him, which 

 we here annex : — 



Mr. Cook strikes his cuttings about the beginning of June, or sooner, 

 if the plants will bear cutting. As soon as rooted they are removed 

 into sixty-sized pots, and set in a shady situation on boards or slates, 

 or in a cold frame. When rooted, they are removed to an open situa- 

 tion, and as soon as the plants will bear the sun without flagging they 

 are stopped. In September they are re-potted into forty-eight sized 

 pots, and at this time he commences training. In December and 

 January those that are sufficiently strong are again shifted into 

 sixteen-sized pots : in these pots they are allowed to bloom. About 

 the middle of July or beginning of August they are headed down and 

 set in a shady sheltered situation ; and, when the plants have shoots 

 nearly an inch long, the soil is nearly all shaken from the roots, and 

 they are again re-potted into the same sized pots. As the shoots are 



