100 



THE GERANIUM HOUSE. 



Perhaps no months in the whole year are so unhealthy for Geraniums 

 as November and December, for the weather generally is dark, damp, 

 and rainy, and the plants being full of sappy green leaves, and having 

 received a check from new potting, are often shedding leaves, which I con- 

 stantly remove, or they would become mouldy and give out a bad smell, 

 offensive both to the owners and to the plants themselves.' At all 

 times during the day I give as much air as possible, by opening the doors, 

 windows, ventilators, &c. In the mornings I have a fire made to dry up 

 damp, but allow it to go out before the house is shut up, for the remedy 

 would be worse than the disease : close heat at this season being most 

 injurious. 



" During the severity of winter, fire is necessary to keep out the frost, 

 (when very severe both day and night), but I am careful not to create 

 damp by watering more than is absolutely necessary. It often happens 

 on frosty days, that the sun sliines clear and bright, and though the atmo- 

 sphere is frosty, I always give air to lower the temperature of the house, to 

 admit fresh, and to dry up damps. 



In January I scrape off the top soil of the pots, and have such as are 

 green with moss well washed, picking all decayed leaves, trimming off any 

 awkward branches on large plants, and tying up aU that require it, and 

 then having at hand some hght rich soil, I fiU up the pots, and finally give 

 a good watering. 



" As the season advances they will generally begin to show flower buds, 

 and as soon as I observe this, I consider they require potting, especially 

 those in the small pots struck in July ; this 'wiU generally happen about 

 the middle or end of March ; but such as do not show flower, I do not 

 re-pot, as that would encourage grovrth rather than flowering. 



In the spring months too much au' cannot be given, and in con- 

 sequence more water is required, which I bestow very hberally : frequently 

 syringing over the whole plants, which refreshes them and prevents in- 

 sects injuring them, though no kind of insects particularly affects the 

 Geranium, if I except the green-fly, which is easily destroyed by tobacco 

 smoke. When the flowering season is over, and I do not want the plants 

 for the flower garden, I cut them down, and as the sap will flow out 

 of the wounds, no water is given until the bleeding stops. If they are 

 in too large pots, I shake them out, cut off part of the roots, and put 

 them into less pots, which is a sort of renewal of the plants. I take 

 them out of doors as soon as I think the frosts are over, to some place 

 sheltered from the sun and west winds, setting them thinly upon a bed of 

 coarse coal ashes two or tliree inches thick. During summer, I give water 



