ON THE CULTURE OK PELARGONIUMS. 241 



About 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. When fire heat is required, its ap- 

 plication 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. 



In the first week of Febmary the plants are re-potted into twenty- 

 fours, or, if there be any very vigorous, into sixteens : a liberal 

 drainage is given, and a compost is used consisting of one half of 

 well enriched loamy soil ; the other, leaf mould and sandy peat. When 

 potting, the heads of the shoots are pinched off to induce the produc- 

 tion of lateral ones, and cause the plants to become bushy. 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. 



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. 



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. 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 headed down, 

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

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

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



