204 ON THE CULTURE OF PELARGONIUMS. 



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 again 

 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- 

 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 plants, 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 off, 

 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 the first season, in size and 

 vigour. When, however, an extraordinary specimen 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. 



Captain Thurtell states that he never uses pots larger than twenty- 

 fours, quality not quantity being his object; by which means the 

 strength of the plant is thrown into the production of larger flowers 

 than are produced by the London growers, with whom quantity seems 

 to be the principal aim. 



