ivithotit the aid of Hotbeds or the Greenhouse. 369 



shape, putting the broad part into the earth close to 

 the rim of tlie pot, witli about five or six inches of 

 the thin part above the surface; the resistance of the 

 broad part against the earth renders it so firm in po- 

 sition that these shoots can be gradually drawn down 

 as desired ; and this is best effected by fastening one 

 end of the string to the stick, passing the other round 

 the shoot; then, with the assistance of the left hand, 

 it may be carefully effected. Pelargoniums are bet- 

 ter for a free circulation of atmosphere; wlienever 

 the weather permitted, therefore, the windows were left 

 open. 



In the latter end of February, these well ripened shoots 

 were shortened to four or five eyes, the plants again repot- 

 ted, and, after a lapse of ten days, were watered twice a 

 week with guano water. In the spring ihey grew vigor- 

 ously >o the state in which they were exhibited, and, for 

 more tlian a month, were quite a mass of bloom, extending 

 two and a half feet in width and only two feet high, form- 

 ing a magnificent sight. These two plants are now under- 

 going their summer culture; the shoots are full seven inches 

 long, thick and turning red, which is a sign, of ripening. 

 If I have leisure enough to attend to them, I do not the 

 least doubt that they will be, next spring, from four to five 

 feet in diameter, exactly resembling those exhibited at the 

 horticultural shows near London. 



In all these processes the complete drainage of the pots 

 with potsherds is essential — occasional smoking, with to- 

 bacco, is also necessary to keep the plants free from the 

 green aphis. Whenever the weather permitted, that is. on 

 bright, warm days in early spring, I took them into the 

 yard and syringed thorouglily with water of a temperature 

 of about 45° ; this seemed to refresh them and to vivify the 

 green color of the leaves; but they were always taken into 

 the room to dry, for fear of the cold produced by evaporation. 

 I believe that the use of guano water and charcoal will 

 exceedingly assist the cultivation of all plants in the par- 

 lor — for two of the greatest impediments, the want of green 

 color in the leaves and the spindling up of the branches, 

 are very much counteracted by these two ingredients in the 

 soil. 



This method of working the pelargonium exhibits the 

 value of a large accumulation of healthy axillary action in 

 vol.. x. — NO. X. 47 



