368 On the Cultivation of Pelargoniums, 



tion this year, which, at twenty-two months old, measured 

 two feet six inches across, and were only sixteen to eighteen 

 inches high, grown entirely at my study windows, with a 

 south aspect, I prepared some notes during the progress of 

 their cultivation, from which I have drawn up the follow- 

 ing account. 



The cuttings were made precisely as Mr. Russell states, 

 of strong, short-jointed pieces placed under a glass shade, 

 but without bottom heat ; to those who possess this con- 

 venience it is an excellent assistance, but with the pelar- 

 gonium, by no means necessary for striking cuttings. They 

 were potted off in the last week in September, in a mixture 

 of sandy loam, with one table spoonful of charcoal, and, 

 after a few days' shading, when I thought they were well 

 settled, they were watered once a week with a solution of 

 guano water, formed by putting one tea spoonful of guano 

 in a quart bottle of water, which was refilled three or four 

 times before fresh guano was added, and generally during 

 the winter once a week besides with plain water. In the 

 latter part of February they were again repotted as before, 

 but in larger pots ; the shoots, which were several inches 

 long and the wood pretty well ripened, were shortened, 

 leaving about three joints on each shoot. From these, new 

 shoots grew vigorously and flowered well during the sum- 

 mer — guano water twice a week. In June, when the 

 blooms had withered, the plants were cut down to about 

 six inches heigth, leaving as many joints as possible — the 

 earth was changed as before, the roots well examined, and 

 all decayed pieces cut out. After remaining five or six 

 days in the shade, well watered, they were exposed to the 

 full glare of the sun the rest of the season, receiving water 

 generally twice, and in very hot weather three times a 

 day — guano water three times a week ; by this means the 

 shoots and old wood grew thoroughly ripened, and were 

 rendered thick, short and stumpy, that is, with joints very 

 close to each other. 



At this period of the operation and before the shoots be- 

 came too much ripened, it was neces;>ary to tie them down 

 as much in a horizontal positicn as possible; to this, great 

 attention must be paid, as the guano, in shortening the 

 joints, acts by shortening the cells and vessels, and thus 

 renders the plant much more brittle than when they are 

 long and attenuated. For this purpose I cut sticks in this 



