TRAINING PELARGONIUMS TO FORM DWARF BUSHY PLANTS. 319 



ceolarias that were cut down and re-potted last month will require 

 attention, not to water too much, or they will damp off. Keep them 

 in a cool situation. Whilst in a cool and moist atmosphere, the shoots 

 Avill often push at the underside numerous rootlets. Where such are 

 produced, the roots should be taken off and potted ; they make fine 

 plants for next season, and are more easily propagated now than at any 

 other season. Pelargonium plants for exhibition should be re-potted 

 by the middle of this month ; according to the size of the plants must 

 be the pots. The smallest-sized pots in which plants are to be when 

 shown are the 24's, eight inches in diameter, and the largest-sized are 

 eleven inches in diameter. The plants need not be potted into these 

 sizes now, but a size less, and in February be re-potted into their final 

 pots. The plants must not be crowded together, but be kept apart. 

 Cinerarias are often attacked at this season by the green fly ; let the 

 plants be placed in a hot-bed frame, and be fumigated with tobacco- 

 smoke at the first appearance of the insects. 



TRAINING PELARGONIUMS TO FORM DWARF BUSHY 



PLANTS. 

 Many readers of this Magazine have, doubtless, been struck with the 

 dwarf bushy character of the Pelargoniums that have been exhibited 

 at the London shows for the last three seasons, for previously, even at 

 these shows, the plants were grown lanky and too tall ; but recently 

 there has been a most marked improvement, both in the general class, 

 as well as the fancy one. Of course to bring the plants into the shape 

 they have, the cultivator lias to pay some regular attention, so that 

 each shoot may occupy the best position, and every shoot to have its 

 truss of flowers. The plants may be brought into the desired form by 

 pursuing the following method of treatment : — 



Commencing at an early stage of their growth, the young shoots are 

 carefully bent down, at proper distances from each other, and secured 

 at their desired position by hooked pegs, from the hedges, &c, or 

 formed of copper wire. If there is danger of breaking the shoots, by 

 bringing them at once as low as may be requisite, viz., the bottom tier 

 nearly to the rim of the pot, &c, lower the pegs at two or three times, 

 till the proper shape is obtained. When the shoots extend beyond the 

 sides of the pot, then a rim of wire being secured close under the edge 

 of the pot, the shoots can be secured to it, be properly arranged, and 

 they will soon assume a permanent position and form. When the 

 plants are to be taken to the show, the scaffolding must be taken away, 

 an! they must appear without artificial assistance. 



This mode of management should commence in spring, with the 

 plants which were struck the previous summer : and when such have 

 bloomed one season, being pruned in, and push for a second year's 

 bloom, they will then form tli3 larger blooming specimens for showing. 

 It is not usual to keep three years' old plants of the general class of 

 Pelargoniums, but after blooming a second season they are thrown away. 

 The fancy class do not grow so vigorous, and the plants can be bloomed 

 satisfactory for showing for four or more successive seasons. Sometimes 

 branches are liable to split at the fork, therefore before attempting to 

 depress them, secure the two together just above their junction. 



