FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



293 



to carry good flowers. Every time the plant is re- 

 potted the stem should he placed a little deeper in 

 the soil, as it not only imparts strength to it, hut 

 prevents to some extent growths coming up from the 

 roots. The last shift should he into a five-inch pot, 

 and in this it may he allowed to flower. It is 

 surprising what a fine plant can he produced 

 in a five-inch pot. We have seen specimens in 

 Covent Garden Market in this size pot, having six 

 and eight leading shoots, and carrying splendid 

 heads of hloom ; but these are grown by market 

 growers, and they give such plants special treatment 

 which cannot he given by ordinary cultivators. 



Now should an amateur cultivator require a 

 specimen plant, say for exhibition next season, the 

 cultural process must vary a little. It should again be 

 shifted from a five-inch into a seven-inch pot, which 

 will cause it to break freely but fiower late. But 

 the flowers will be smaller in consequence. Never- 

 theless, there is obtained a sufficient number of eyes 

 to form a fine large plant for the following season. 

 When the bottoms become two or three years old 

 they wiU require a little different treatment. They 

 must be shifted into their blooming-pots a little 

 earlier; those intended for flowering in May must 

 not he stopped at all ; those for flowering in June and 

 July should be stopped once in February. 



Successful culture depend? so much on little atten- 

 tions constantly rendered — such points as compost, 

 shifting, stopping, tying-out, syringing, fumigating, 

 &c. ; and experience is a most valuable teacher. 

 Young beginners can scarcely hope to succeed all at 

 once ; but patience and perseverance can accomplish 

 much, and let the cultivator always bear in mind 

 that thorough cleanliness in every stage is most 

 important, enhancing the beauty and quality of the 

 flowers. 



Soil is a verj"^ important matter in the culture of 

 this useful class of plants. That used by the leading 

 exhibitors of Pelargoniums is a compost made up of 

 rich flhrous loam, stable dung, and a little cow-dung, 

 , laid by a year previous to become thoroughly rotten : 

 these are well mixed together, and frequently turned 

 before using, and when employed for potting pur- 

 poses, some good leaf-mould and sufficient silver 

 sand to make the whole gritty are added. A little 

 experience is of use in the proper mixing of this 

 compost, this being a detail that is soon picked up 

 in the course of practice in cultivation. 



Fancy Pelarffoniums. — These are of much more 

 compact growth than the Show or Large-flowering 

 varieties; they are much freer in blooming, and a 

 little more delicate in constitution. The general 

 treatment of Show varieties suits Fancy varieties 

 pretty well, but they do not strike so freely as the 

 others, and they root best when the cuttings are 



made in early spring from half-ripened shoots. 

 The plants grow more slowly also, and they require 

 to be kept warmer during the winter, hut care is 

 necessary that the shoots do not become drawn emd 

 lanky. Care must also be taken that they do not 

 have too much water at the roots ; of this they are 

 very impatient. 



A successful cultivator and exhibitor of Fancy 

 Pelargoniums states, in regard to this charming 

 class of plants, that "they may be grown to almost 

 any size by keeping the house moist and warm ; 

 the plants like a little warmth, but plenty of air 

 should be given all day when it can he done, and the 

 plants should have plenty of room, else the foliage 

 becomes drawn. The peculiar nature of the growth 

 of the plant is to crowd it with shoots ; therefore, in 

 the case of specimens, the outside branches should 

 be tied out to give the centre shoots all the room 

 possible. In potting, the plants need to be kept 

 higher in the pots than the large-flowering varieties, 

 so that what is termed the ' collar ' of the plant be 

 kept level with the surface of the mould. Great 

 attention should he paid to watering. It is better 

 to find six plants too dry than one too wet. There is 

 a remedy for the first evil, but none for the latter. 

 The roots, being of a much finer character than 

 those of the more robust large-flowering sorts, 

 cannot endure an excess of moisture." We may 

 add that Fancy Pelargoniums, being so free of 

 bloom, are well adapted for making the stage of the 

 flowering house very gay. The last time for repot- 

 ting should be regulated by the' month in which the 

 cultivator wishes to have the plants at their best. 

 If early flowers are required, the plants should have 

 their last shift not later than October, and they 

 should not be allowed too much root-room in the 

 pots. A seven-inch pot is, as a general rule, 

 large enough, but something depends upon the 

 plants. If bloom is desired at a later period, the 

 specimens can be had at their best during the month 

 of July by giving them a good shift in March. To 

 retard the bloom of the plants, the points of the 

 shoots may be pinched out, and this is a desirable 

 plan when the specimens are thin of branches, as it 

 causes them to break into growth freely, making 

 large plants that flower later. 



The soil for Fancy Pelargoniums differs from that 

 above recommended in that it is of advantage to mix 

 a little peat with it, and some broken oyster-shells. 



Decorative Felargonimns. — These represent a large 

 group of sturdy-growing Pelargoniums of good habit 

 and profuse flowering, that are well adapted for de- 

 corative purposes in green-houses, conservatories, 

 and sitting-rooms. The flowers are not so well 

 formed generally as those of the large-flowering 

 type, but not a few of them make fine exbibition 



