PEL 



[ U07 ] 



TEL 



when the heat is too great, to reduce 

 the temperature to 55 or 60. The 

 cuttings must be frequently examined, 

 to see if roots are formed ; and as soon 

 as they are an inch long, pot them off 

 immediately into the smallest 60-pots, 

 which are generally about two inches 

 diameter. A small addition of well- 

 decomposed leaf-mould may be mixed 

 amongst the loam with advantage. 

 When they are finished potting off, 

 give another gentle watering, and re- 

 place them in the frame or propagat- 

 ing house until fresh roots are formed ; 

 renew the shading, but disuse it as soon 

 as it is safe to do so, and then give 

 plenty of air, to prevent them being 

 drawn up and spindly. To cause them 

 to become bushy plants furnished with 

 branches close to the pot, nip off the 

 top bud ; the lower side buds will then 

 break and push forth, and these must 

 be again stopped as soon as they have 

 made three leaves. The plants will 

 then be ready to receive a second pot- 

 ting, and should be removed into the 

 open air. 



The above remarks and directions, 

 so far as the cuttings are concerned, 

 relate only to the as-they- are- called, 

 show varieties. There is another class 

 of pelargoniums which are denominated 

 fancy varieties. These are more diffi- 

 cult to increase by cuttings. Place the 

 cuttings in shallow pans, one-and-a- 

 half-inch only deep, with a hole in the 

 centre, in the usual loam and sand, 

 placing them on a shelf in the propa- 

 gating-house, or in the frame, close to 

 the glass, upon topsy-turned pots. The 

 cuttings are made very short, with a 

 portion of the old wood at the bottom 

 of each. Very little water is given till 

 the callosities are formed, when it is 

 given more freely, and then roots make 

 their appearance, when they are imme- 

 diately potted oft', and the usual treat- 

 ment followed. 



By Buds. Make a shallow pan ready 

 for them, by first putting in a portion 

 of pure loam and sand, then a cover- 

 ing of pure sand alone, give a gentle 

 watering to settle it, and then prepare 

 the buds. Take a shoot of moderate 



the two lowest buds, leaving about a 

 quarter-of-an-inch of wood below each 

 bud. After that, split the shoot con- 

 taining the two buds down the centre. 

 If the two buds are not exactly oppo- 

 site, but one a little below the other, 

 the upper one must be shortened below 

 the bud to the proper length. The 

 upper cut should be very nearly close 

 to the bud. Make a sufficient nvmber 

 ready at once to fill the pan or pot, and 

 plant them, using a short blunt stick a 

 degree thicker than the bud-cutting. 

 Insert them, so as only to leave the 

 bud just above the sand. Plant them 

 close to, and round the edge of the pan, 

 placing the cut side close against the 

 pot, which will, of course, place the 

 bud side inwards. Then fill up the 

 holes with a little dry sand, and water 

 gently again. Place them either in a 

 propagating-house, a shady part of a 

 stove near the glass roof, or in^a frame. 

 Shade from bright sunshine in what- 

 ever situation they are placed, and 

 water as required. The buds will soon 

 break, and show leaves shortly to be 

 followed by a shoot. 



By Roots. Some kinds of Fancy Pe- 

 largoniums, and most of the Cape original 

 species, are difficult to increase by any 

 of the above methods. In such cases 

 there is left the mode of increase by 

 cuttings of the roots. This is almost 

 certain of success. Take an old plant, 

 shake off carefully all the soil, and cut 

 the roots into short pieces, retaining as 

 many fibres as possible to each. Put 

 each root-cutting singly into as small 

 pots as they can be got into, leaving 

 the top just visible. Place them in the 

 house, or frame, appropriated to propa- 

 gation ; give a gentle watering, and 

 shade effectually. New roots will soon 

 push forth, and then shoots will appear, 

 generally in clusters. When that takes 

 place, reduce the shade, to give colour 

 to the leaves and strength to the shoots. 

 As these advance in growth, thin them 

 gradually, by slipping one or two off at 

 a time, till finally they are reduced to 

 one which is to form the future plant. 

 As soon as this shoot attains the height 

 of two or three inches, nip off the top 



strength, cut off the leaves, but not i to cause side shoots to grow, and so 

 quite close to the stem, then cut off ' form a neat bushy plant. 



