FLORISTS' FLOWERS : PELARGONIUMS. 8$ 



too tight, and it should neither be very wet nor very dry. 

 Side shoots that have not flowered make the best cut- 

 tings. Trim the cuttings, as cuttings usually are 

 trimmed, by cutting off the lower leaves, and leaving 

 two or three at the top intact ; but afterwards place 

 them in a dry place in the shade to dry the cut ends for 

 an hour or two before they are put in. Plunge the 

 pots in the frame, or place them where they are to 

 stand, so that the cuttings will not touch each other, 

 and shade them from the sun When roots are formed, 

 pot them separately ; and as they grow, stop the top 

 shoot, and afterwards the side shoots, to make them 

 grow bushy. The kinds which are very difficult to 

 strike with cuttings may be increased by division of the 

 roots. Shake the mould from the root of an old plant, 

 cut the root into pieces, and plant each piece in as small 

 a pot as it can be got into, leaving the top visible. 

 Sbade until they shoot upwards and downwards, and 

 then give more light. The shoots will come in bunches ; 

 as they grow, strip them off one at a time until only one 

 remains, which is to be left to become the future plant. 

 When it is three inches, stop it to make it shoot at the 

 sides. 



Cut down old plants in July ; place them in a cold 

 pit, and water moderately rather over the tops than to 

 the roots. Then give a fair watering, so that every good 

 root may get a share. When the buds break, give air 

 gradually, and when the shoots are an inch long shake 

 the mould from the roots, prune the roots a little, and 

 shift the plants into pots of the same size again, or 

 rather smaller ; return them to the cold pit, and keep 

 them close until the roots are growing. Then give air 

 gradually, and get them out of doors, but keep them 

 from cold, rain, and any approach to frost. Those cut 

 down in June and July may begot into blooming pots at 

 the end of October, and those cut down in the end of July 

 or in August will not want re-potting into the larger 

 pots until the spring, thus giving succession of bloom. 



Winter requirements are cleanliness, air, light, plenty 

 of room, and a temperature seldom below 45 degrees ; in 



o 2 



