308 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



of excessive moisture, and hardens the cuttings so that they can 

 withstand all kinds of treatment. 



If the cuttings are planted out of doors, see that the soil is fairly 

 light, and incorporate some coarse sand with it. Geraniums may 

 be started in pots, and the soil for these should be composed of 

 half loam and half leaf mould, with a good quantity of sand. 

 Six or eight cuttings can be inserted round the edge of a six-inch 

 pot. Another method is to place the cuttings in a box eighteen 

 inches long, twelve inches wide and three inches deep. Holes 

 should be bored in the bottom of the box to allow for drainage, a 

 few rough ashes and crocks placed in first, and the prepared soil 

 afterwards. Three or four dozen cuttings can be inserted in a box 

 of this size. 



Another golden rule to observe is to see that all cuttings are 

 inserted firmly. No cutting is tight enough if it can be pulled 

 out of the ground easily. Firm planting entices the new roots to 

 get to work quickly, and this helps to ensure success. 



A good soaking of water when the cuttings are inserted will 

 last a long time if the weather be not too hot. Care must, 

 however, be taken not to allow the roots to become absolutely 

 dry, otherwise the leaves will wither and fall off, and the life of 

 the cutting may be endangered. But as a rule it is better to 

 give geranium cuttings too little water than too much. 



As soon as the cuttings in pots or boxes have become properly 

 rooted they may be transferred singly into small pots and allowed 

 to grow on out of doors until danger of frost appears. They must 

 then be removed to their winter quarters, preferably the top 

 shelves of the warm greenhouse. 



If the plants are intended for outdoor bedding it will be necessary 

 to transfer them to larger pots in March, and a month later place 

 them in a cold frame to harden off so as to have them ready for 

 planting out during the third week in May. 



Where artificially heated frames and glasshouses are available, 

 cuttings of geraniums may, of course, be " struck " at any time. 

 In the case of cuttings taken in the autumn they will be 

 ready for bedding out in early summer; those propagated in 



