Pelargoniums 



( 172 ) 



Pelargoniums 



Double Varieties, well adapted for Trailing : 



Comtesse Horace <le 

 Choiseul, ro. 



Single Varieties : 



La France, light ro. 

 Masterpiece, magenta 

 crim. 



Isadore Feral, ro. 

 La Florifere, ro. pk. 

 Madame Crousse, pk. 



Multiflore, pk. 

 Victoria, ro. pk. 



PELARGONIUM, ZONAL. 



For garden purposes it has been thought 

 desirable to deal with this popular section under 

 GERANIUM in the present work. (See GERANIUM, 

 ZONAL.) 



PELARGONIUMS, SHOW, 

 FANCY, DECORATIVE, and 

 REGAL. 



Description. These are quite distinct in leaf, 

 growth, and flower (ord. Geraniacefe). The stems 

 and leaves are harsh to the touch, and the latter 

 are green, never showing variegation as found in 

 many Zonal varieties. The inflorescence shows 

 little variation in either group, but in those 

 under consideration the largest flowers are pro- 

 duced, and these are somewhat funnel shaped, 

 though in the case of some Fancy forms the petals 

 have become almost as flat as those of a Zonal 

 variety. The group is attractive, and useful for 

 conservatory decoration, from the broad range of 

 striking combinations of colour. 



Propagation. By cuttings. After flowering the 

 plants need full exposure to air and sun, to ripen 

 the growth thoroughly ; at the same time the water 

 supply is reduced and eventually withheld as the 

 leaves fall. The next operation is pruning back 

 the shoots. From these prunings cuttings are made, 

 allowing two or three well-developed eyes or buds to 

 each. Several cuttings may be placed in a 5" pot 

 if kept near the side. Give ample drainage. Use 

 light sandy soil and press it firmly about the base 

 of the cuttings. If inserted in August the cuttings 

 root readily in a cold frame, kept close, provided 

 very little water is given until new growth is made. 

 Later cuttings should be placed in gentle heat until 

 ready to be potted separately. 



History. Neither how nor when this race 

 originated seems to be certainly known, but it is 

 most probable that acerifolium, cucullatum, and 

 grandiflorum were used as parents. In the hands 

 of the old florists great advances were made by 

 intercrossing and selection, and eventually the 

 finer forms became classed as Show varieties ; the 

 vigorous, free-flowering forms, with flowers falling 

 short of the florists' ideal of form and beauty, as 

 Decorative varieties ; and the clwarfer, floriferous, 

 compact growers as Fancy or Ladies' varieties. 

 Formerly the Show and Fancy sorts were grown to 

 enormous size for exhibition, but latterly they have 

 fallen from popularity, while the Decorative 

 varieties, together with what are known as Regal 

 varieties, have taken their places. The latter 

 usually have more brilliant colours, one or more 

 extra petals per flower, and crimped or waved 

 segments. 



Soil and Potting. Good, turfy loam, roughly 

 broken up, three parts, dried cow manure one part, 

 with sufficient coarse sand to render the whole 

 porous. Firm potting is essential. 



Other Cultural Points. From the time the rooted 

 cuttings are potted, right on to early spring, watering 

 must be done with great care. It is easy to give 

 too large a supply during the dull winter months. 



Water must never be allowed to stand on the leaves. 

 Stage the plants close to the glass in an airy green- 

 house where the temperature is not allowed to fall 

 below 40 at night and during severe weather. 

 Show varieties should be put in their flowering 

 pots during December, but Fancy varieties should 

 receive a final shift early in October or in 

 November, unless late plants are required, when 

 potting may be done in March. Staking and tying 

 are matters to be attended to as needed. Cut-back 

 specimens readily respond to a little warmth and 

 an occasional syringing, but as soon as growth 

 commences their roots should be shaken free from 

 the old soil, trimmed, and repotted into small pots. 

 Subsequent treatment is much the same as for 

 young stock. Frequent vaporisation or fumigation 

 is required. 



Selections of Varieties : 



*y/wr Varieties: 



Achievement, or. sc., wh. 



Amethyst, bluish pur., 

 maroon. 



Bluebeard, rosy helio- 

 trope, red. 



Comet, or. sc. , maroon. 



Laxly West Itidgway, wh., 

 ruby. 



Marguerite, wh., maroou. 



Fancy Varieties: 



Atlantic, crim., pur. 

 Bridesmaid, lavender wh. 

 Cherry Ripe, rosy crim., 



wh. 



Delicatum, wh., pale ro. 

 Ellen Beck, lil., car. 

 Lord of the Isles, rosy 



pur., wh. 



Decorative Varieties: 



Buffalo Bill, lil., ruby. 

 Digby Grand, wh., car., 



crim. 

 Duchess of Bedford, wh., 



rosy car. 

 Duchess of Ediiiburgh, 



wh., ruby crim. 

 Duchess of Portland, rosy 



peach, salmon. 

 Edward Perkins, or. sc., 



maroon. 

 Eucharis, pure wh., long 



stalks ; tine for cutting. 

 Gold Mine, or., ro. 

 H. J. Jones, rosy red, wh. , 



crim. 



Mary Hoyle, rosy or., 

 wh., vermilion. 



Mrs. Coombes, wh., car. 



Mrs. W. Wright, blush, 

 crim. 



Royal Ascot, or. sc., dark 

 red. 



Sunbeam, crim. sc., ma- 

 roon. 



Sultana, red, wh., choco- 

 late. 



Mrs. Langtry,wh., lil., ro. 

 Penelope, ro., wh. 

 Princess Helena, rosy pur. 

 Princess Teck, wh., car. 

 Roi des Fantaisies, rosy 



crim., wh. 

 Sims Reeves, pur., ma- 



Regal Vanities : 



Albert Victor, ro., wh. 

 Bush Hill Beauty, wh., 



car., ro. 

 Capt. Raikes Improved, 



crim. , cerise, wh. 

 Dr. Masters, crim. so., 



maroon. 

 Duchess of Fife, rosy 



crim., wh. 

 Duke of Albany, crim., 



blush. 

 Duke of York, rosy crim., 



wh., maroon. 

 Emmanuel Lias, ro., wh., 



shaded crim. 

 La Belle de Tours, wh.,ro. 



Kingston Beauty, wh., 



pur. 



Ladas, pk., maroon. 

 Mrs. George Gordon, wh., 



flushed salmon. 

 Mrs. H. M. Stanley, rosy 



mauve, crim. lake. 

 Princess Victoria, blush 



pk., semi-double. 

 Queen of Whites, wh., 



semi-double. 

 Triomphe de St. Maude 



Improved, magenta, 



crim. 

 Volonte Nationale, rosy 



car., wh. 

 Volonte Xatiouale album, 



wh. 



Larbert Gem, rosy crim. 

 Mdme. Thibaut, ro., wh. 

 Mdme. Thibaut album, 



wh. 

 Persimmon, crim., dark 



maroon. 

 President Harrison, car. 



ro., wh., chestnut. 

 Prince Teck, sc., pur., 



maroon. 



Prince of Wales, ver- 

 milion crim. 

 Princess Beatrice, blush, 



crim. 

 Queen Victoria, vermilion, 



wh.. maroon. 



