How to grow Specimen Pelargoniums. 373 



offered, produced such competition among the exhibitors as 

 to lead to the best resuUs, At first the improvement was but 

 sUght, but as each amateur tried to excel his neighbor, more 

 care and skill were bestowed upon each and every plant, till 

 becoming more and more acquainted with their habits they 

 have arrived almost at the perfection of cultivation. 



The pelargonium has received especial attention ; and an 

 unusual degree of skill has been applied to the production of 

 beautiful specimens. This improvement in growth, in con- 

 nection with the remarkable progress made in the production 

 of new varieties, has contributed to render it one of the most 

 popular, as it is one of the most beautiful, of greenhouse or 

 parlor plants. Specimens are frequently exhibited which 

 measure four to six feet in diameter, and display a thousand 

 trusses of flowers ! 



To aid amateurs in the growth of this beautiful plant we 

 have given the annexed engravings, which fully illustrate the 

 mode of training. Now is just the time to 

 commence operations by cutting down the 

 ^ old plants, and those who have good ones 

 can save one year, by taking such as have 

 already advanced to nearly the state repre- 

 sented by one of the engravings, (fig. 25.) 

 Those who do not possess plants suitable 

 for the purpose, may begin with the young 

 Pelargonium oucs iu Octobcr, as represented in the first 



pruned the Jirs7 year, drawing, (fig. 2A.) 



In the cultivation of pelargoniums various methods of train- 

 ing have been tried : the pyramidal shape, which would ap- 

 pear the best, it has been ascertained cannot be carried out 

 with good success. Owing to the upward tendency of the 

 sap it has been found that an even display of flowers over the 

 entire surface could not be obtained ; consequently that style 

 was abandoned for what is now termed the low bushy form. 

 In this shape uniformly beautiful plants can be produced, 

 completely covered with the superb flowers. The object in 

 all cases, is to obtain a low compact bushy specimen, and 

 have it laden with flowers. 



