40 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



purpose, to stack it up, as is often done, four or more feet in 

 height in large compact masses, that it may lose exactly the 

 properties gained by its long exposure to air and light, which give 

 it so much of its value. 



Training should begin in the second year, and consists merely 

 in bending down and tying the shoots close to the rim of the pot, 

 and occasionally stopping a gross one ; the centre soon fills up, 

 and the foundation of a specimen is laid, which, with but little 

 care, will increase in size year by year. I have found small lead 

 weights, hung to the shoots, an effective way of keeping them down 

 after they have grown beyond the rims of their pots. More care 

 is necessary in tying out bronze and green pelargoniums than the 

 tricolors, as the growth is stronger and more brittle ; here again 

 weights are useful ; by beginning with light ones, and replacing 

 them by degrees with heavier ones, the branches are gradually 

 brought into place without breaking ; another advantage is that 

 all the weights can be removed when plants are wanted for exhibi- 

 tion, and they can be shown without the defacing sticks and ties 

 which often accompany them. 



To sum up ; in order to have good tricolors it is necessary to 

 start with a strong cutting, to grow it in a night temperature of 

 about 50° in winter, rising to 60° in the daytime by fire heat, and 

 to 75° or higher by sun heat, with plenty of air ; to give repeated 

 small shifts ; to be careful in watering and training, and to see 

 that it has a rest of a couple of months in each year ; the water 

 should be at least as warm as the house, and ten degrees higher 

 will do no harm. The flower buds should always be cut off as 

 soon as they appear. 



I can add but little in regard to the other classes ; they need 

 more water, rather a stronger and more firmly packed soil, and 

 will do fan\y well under treatment that would kill the more deli- 

 cate tricolors ; they should have their annual rest and be shaken out 

 and repotted, but larger shifts are safe for them. The flowering 

 ones should be pinched from time to time, and if a full bloom is 

 required, it will help them much to take off the flower buds until 

 from six weeks to two months before the time at which they are 

 wanted ; all pinching of shoots should be stopped at least ten 

 weeks before the plants are required to be in perfection. 



