84 CULTURE OF SCARLET PELARGONIUMS. 



then to be slowly stipulated till they commence growing freely, after 

 ■wliich they cannot be too liberally encouraged. 



The use of artificial heat I have observed is a very important point ; 

 it should be as gradual as the application of water, and when com- 

 menced, and the plants thriving in it, it must not be withheld till 

 after the flowers are decayed and the foliage mature, excepting, perhaps, 

 the time they are actually in bloom ; any decrease of temperature 

 during: the growth of the plant would, perhaps, be the cause of the 

 bulb not flowering, and thus create a disappointment which frequently 

 happens from this very cause. The genera which require this artificial 

 heat are principally, the following : Amaryllis, Coburghia, Gloriosa, 

 Clilidanthus, Cyrtanthus, Polianthus, Nerine Brunsvigia, Hsemanthus 

 and Ammochaus, as a primary class, requiring the greater degree. 

 As a secondary class, requiring a much less share, I may mention, — 

 Ixia, Gladiolus, Babiana, Antholyza, Sparaxia, Oxalis, Cyclamen, 

 and others. I beg to repeat, that both heat and water must be ap- 

 plied by gradually increasing them, and decreasing them in the same 

 manner after flowering. The bulbs of all, of course, while in a state 

 of rest, must be kept in a low temperature. 



CULTURE OF SCARLET PELARGONIUMS 



BY A PRACTITIOMER. 



It is very pleasing to observe, that in every showy "class of flowers, where 

 hybrids can readily be obtained, assiduous attention lias been given to 

 attempt improvements on the previous kinds, and in the universally 

 admired race of scarlet flowering Pelargoniums some noble varieties 

 have been raised, which produce heads of blossoms more than fourfold 

 the size of the old species. There is, however, a grossness of habit in 

 the plant of some of tiie new varieties that renders them unsuited for 

 small collections, without some method being employed to check such 

 exuberance and induce a more compact and bushy habit. I have all 

 the new varieties of the scarlet tribe, and with the too robust sorts I 

 adopt the following method, wliich fully answers my purposes. 



I raise a number eacli summer, usually striking them in August ; 

 they are potted off, and in every respect treated as is done to my 

 general stock of other classes of Pelargoniums. When the plants are 

 about eight inches high, I pinch off" the leading shoot, which causes the 

 production of laterals : this is generally done about the end of Sep- 

 tember, and the laterals push an inch or two long before winter sets in. 

 In February I re-pot into larger pots, keeping the balls entire ; and 

 the laterals soon extend, so tliat on tlieir being four or five inches long, 

 I take oft" the leaves ; a second race of laterals is procured, and as soon 

 as practicable, I thin them wliere required, retaining such as will form 

 it to a well-regulated bush. Such plants bloom admirably that season, 

 but if kept a second year, having the shoots cut in so short as only to 

 have two or three buds retained on each, and tliey again stopped on 

 becoming a few inches long, every desired object with them, as very 

 limited growing plants, will be obtained. 



