212 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



either boxes or well-drained 8-inch pots, or they 

 may be placed singly in pots as small as the roots 

 can be crowded into, in each case packing a little 

 soil firmly about them. Give a watering at the 

 time, and afterwards keep them, in common with 

 all other bedding pelargoniums, rather dry than 

 wet, in cool, airy houses, dry pits, or even dry 

 rooms. Spring propagation must not commence 

 before active top growth has taken place, hard 

 dry cuttings failing to form roots. The cuttings 

 may be inserted singly in 2|-inch pots, or several 

 in boxes or large pots and placed in small sizes 

 afterwards. Old plants are sometimes lifted, cut 

 hard back, much as a tree might be pollarded, 

 the roots also being freely shortened, and then 

 packed closely together with soil pressed about 

 the roots in large pots or boxes in which they 

 may be wintered. They should be kept dry at 

 first, afterwards only giving enough water to 

 prevent shrivelling. When growth starts freely 

 in the spring place them singly in pots, and bushy 

 plants will be read}' for bedding out in May and 

 June. Zonale pelargoniums should not be 

 planted, if it can be avoided, in rich, heavy 

 ground, as this is apt to promote rank growth at 

 the expense of fioriferousness. They succeed 

 the best in moderately fertile soil and sunny 

 positions. 



Pentstemons (Beard tongue). — Selected varieties of 

 pentstemons are admirably adajnted for summer 

 bedding as well as for mixed borders. Originally 

 raised from seed, choice varieties are in after 

 years propagated by cuttings. Select short 

 flowerless shoots in the autumn, prepare and treat 

 exactly as advised for antirrhinums (page 206). 

 If only a few cuttings are available place these 

 round the sides of 4-inch pots under hand-lights ; 

 winter in cold pits or frames, and pot singly in 

 the spring. Plant as early in May as possible. 



Petunias. — The majority of single petunias bedded 

 out are raised from seed, but named varieties and 

 any selected seedlings found to be superior may 

 be increased by cuttings. Double petunias are 

 also showy bedding plants, especially during a 

 dry summer. These are propagated by cuttings. 

 For stock purposes root young shoots in August, 

 treating these and the plants during the winter 

 similarly to ageratums (page 205). Old pot plants 

 pruned and started into active growth in February 

 will give abundance of cuttings which root quickly 

 in brisk heat. The plants move best out of small 

 pots. 



Salvia (Sage). — Two species of this large family are 



fairly popular for flower garden decoration. 

 S. fulgens attains a height of 2 to 3 feet, and 

 produces long spikes of showy scarlet flowers 

 freely during the summer. There is also a 

 variegated form. Both are suitable for the 

 centres of large beds and the back lines in 

 borders. Cuttings of young shoots taken off in 

 August and early in September root in gentle 

 heat as readily as verbenas, and these will give 

 more cuttings in the spring. If large plants are 

 desired lift some of the old stock in the autumn, 

 shorten the tops freely, and either place singly 

 in pots or pack them closely together in boxes. 

 Winter in a warm greenhouse and establish them 

 in larger j:>ots in April. S. patens, a tuberous- 

 rooted Mexican species, grows to a height of 

 2 feet, and produces long spikes of exceptionally 

 rich blue flowers throughout the summer. It is 

 very attractive, either massed in the centres of 

 moderately large beds or mixed with other plants. 

 Lift and winter the tubers with a short length of 

 stem attached in boxes of light soil, kept just 

 moist enough to keep the tubers plump, in frost- 

 proof pits, start in heat in February, and the 

 young shoots resulting may be taken and inserted 

 in small pots similar to dahlias. They root freely 

 in brisk heat, but after the young plants are well 

 established, transfer to cooler quarters, hardening 

 and bedding out late in May. Salvias should 

 have a moderately rich freely-worked soil to 

 root in. 



Trop^eolums (miscalled Nasturtium). — The dwarf 

 compact varieties are handsome bedding jilants, 

 succeeding during either wet or dry seasons. 

 They are largely raised from seed, but superior 

 forms and double-flowering varieties can be 

 treated as perennials, and a good stock easily 

 raised from cuttings every spring. Insert young 

 tops in August or September, and treat similarly 

 to heliotropes (page 209). Cuttings will be plentiful 

 in March and April, and these root freely in heat. 

 Establish them singly in small pots, as they move 

 best out of these, using moderately good loamy 

 soil. Harden off and plant out in June. Plants 

 raised from cuttings are less vigorous than seed- 

 lings but more floriferous. 



Verbenas. — What are known as garden varieties of 

 verbenas are not so much in favour as of old for 

 bedding purposes, owing to their liability to failure 

 from disease and insect pests — notably thrips and 

 red spider. Seedlings, as being the more robust 

 and the least likely to fail, are frequently grown, 

 but are not so showy as named varieties from 



