200 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



as a small border-flower for the garden. But 

 it thrives best as a house-plant, raised either 

 from seed, or division of the root. It needs 

 a rich soil of peat and loam, and a good deal of 

 water. 



Geranium. Name, meaning Crane's bill, 

 from the Greek, alluding to the form of the 

 seed-vessel. This genus bears so great re- 

 semblance to Pelargonium — Stork's bill — that 

 both generally go by the same name ; but 

 plants of the stork-bill family bear the lai'ger 

 and more sho^vy flowers. Geraniums proper, 

 are chiefly natives of Europe, — there are a few 

 American species — and, in many cases, are 

 mere weeds. Pelargoniums come from the 

 Cape of Good Hope, ard in their natural state 

 are very beautiful. Th?re are also hybrids of 

 the two, uniting the best qualities of each. 

 As eai'ly as 159G geraniums were brought from 

 Italy to the North of Europe ; but with the 

 exception of one small species no pelargoni- 

 ums were cultivated till the latter part of the 

 last century. There is little art in growing 

 them, so geraniums are our commonest house- 

 plants. Leigh Hunt has said "if one have a 

 solitary plant, let it be a red geranium ;" and 

 that his opinion has received general endorse- 

 ment, we have full proof in the prevalence of 

 that species. These plants need plenty of 

 light, and air, and cleanliness. They should 

 be often syringed ; and the branches tied out 

 so that light and air can be admitted to the 

 centre of the plant. Thus they will gain 

 strength and every shoot throw up its flower- 

 buds without interruption, Arrange rods or 

 wires around the rim of the pot for this pur- 

 pose, and avoid pushing sticks or wires among 

 the roots. Do not water too much. The suc- 

 culent kinds need scarcely any water, except 



when preparing to bloom. A little weak li- 

 quid manure is necessary for fine b'ooms, and 

 to give a healthy, green appearance to the 

 leaves. Any geranium is propagated easily by 

 cuttings kept a few days in water and then 

 placed in good soil under a glass. In May, 

 old plants must be re-potted. A handful of 

 pebbles and charcoal being in the bottom of 

 the pot, throw over it soil of loam and decayed 

 leaves — for the dwarf kinds a portion of sand 

 added. With a sharp knife cut the new wood 

 of the plant back to a few joints. Of these 

 pieces you can form new plants, and the old 

 geranium will grow stouter and more bushy. 

 Take the old plant from its pot ; and trim off 

 the ball of earth, so that it may have an inch 

 or two of fresh soil in the new pot, which 

 should be a size larger, year by year. Fill the 

 soil around it carefully, shaking the pot, or 

 striking it to settle it well ; and press (he soil 

 gently about the collar of the plant. Water 

 it and keep it in the shade a month ; then give 

 it a place where it can receive the sunshine 

 upon its foliage without heating the pot ; or, 

 sink the pot in the ground till September. 

 Bring it then to the parlor, and water it daily 

 with warm water; adding liquid manure as 

 soon as the flower-buds appear. It is unnec- 

 essary to mention any es-pecial variety, tastes 

 differ so much ; but it would be wise to have 

 at least one representative of the sweet-scent- 

 ed geraniums on every flower-stand, for their 

 foliage is beautiful, and their blossoms are 

 neat if not very attractive. They are always 

 needed to accompany the white and the purple 

 flowers which friendship gathers as its last gift 

 to the loved departed; and, indeed no bou- 

 quet of exotics appears complete without their 

 presence. 



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