BEDDING, VASE AND WINDOW BOX PLANTS 289 



group of Geraniums includes those called Rose, Lemon, Nutmeg, 

 and Oak-leaved Geraniums, because of their fragrant leaves. 



Culture and Propagation. Cuttings are rooted during the 

 end of September or first half of October, according to locality. 

 Plants that are well developed without being "drawn" are best 

 for supplying cuttings. The usual method is to put each cutting in 

 a thumb pot and stand these close together for the time being in a 

 frame or cool house. Leafmold, sand and loam in equal parts will 

 answer as a soil. Give one watering, enough to moisten the soil; 

 subsequent waterings will be necessary only when it gets dry. 

 Take the cutting immediately under a joint and shorten back the 

 large leaf blades one half. By the end of the year they should be 

 shifted into 3-inch pots, using stronger soil, and a month or six 

 weeks later the plants will give a batch of cuttings which may be 

 potted like the first lot. A hot, stagnant atmosphere must be 

 avoided at all times. A saving of time and space may be accom- 

 plished, together with providing equally fine plants, if the old 

 method of propagation be adhered to. This consists in putting the 

 cuttings, made with the leaf blades shortened somewhat, into boxes 

 pretty thickly together, standing the boxes outside, partly shaded 

 from the sun until they root. Little water is given during the 

 operation, and heavy rains are to be guarded against by having 

 sash ready to cover the plants. The soil used should be such as to 

 enable the rooted cuttings to thrive in it until January when they 

 are potted up. If kept on the dry side they will bear considerable 

 cold, and will be prevented from making too rapid growth. By 

 this method there should be no necessity for putting in a second 

 batch of cuttings from the tops of the first lot. Give this method a 

 trial on a small scale, until familiar with its working. 



The Show Pelargoniums prefer a cool, moist house and do not 

 succeed under hot and dr}' conditions. They are quite often 

 seriously troubled by white fly, which can be controlled if they are 

 diligently fumigated with cyanide of potassium. Regarding the 

 propagation, Mr. Fritz Bahr writes: 



"The finest Show Pelargoniums I ever had a chance to behold 

 were plants grown from cuttings rooted the end of August. They 

 were potted up afterward and kept shifted and growing in a cool 

 house all Winter, and flowered in 7-inch and 8-inch pots the follow- 

 ing Spring. The house they were in consisted of a 12 feet frame 

 structure and a poor one at that, but they got the full attention of a 

 good man and along with them were grown some wonderful Ivy 



