THE GREENHOUSE AND ITS FLOWERS. 



243 



There is such a host of Pelargoniums of all kinds that it 

 is not easy to make a selection that will he generally 

 approved of, and anyone undertaking their culture 

 seriously should see a collection before making a com- 

 mencement. The scarlet Raspail Improved is of course 

 indispensable, a free, bright-flowered variety in pots, and 

 Henry Jacoby too, the kind grown so largely out of doors 

 for summer bedding. 



The Pelargonium is such an important flower in 

 many ways that reference is made to it at con- 

 siderable length. An excellent grower of these 

 flowers, Mr. Shoesmith, of Woking, in an interesting 

 paper read by him some time ago, mentioned the fol- 

 lowing facts as indispensable if one is to succeed with 

 this brilliant family. The remarks with reference to 

 "Geraniums" for winter (lowering should he made 

 careful note of, for it is in the winter that one may keep 

 this structure gay with a variety of colours, and the 

 whole routine of culture is extremely simple. Mr. Shoe- 

 smith gave the following important details of culture : 



Propagation. — This is a matter that is not attended 

 with any difficulty during summer and early autumn. 

 I may say propagating horn 1 uitings is the plan generally 

 adopted, raising plants from seeds being confined to 

 obtaining new 

 and improved 

 varieties. 1 am 

 not particular 

 about the size of 

 the cuttings 

 used, but pay 

 more attention 

 to the growth 

 being well har- 

 dened. Many 

 items of culture 

 h a v e become 

 or t h o d o x 

 because no one 

 has attempted 

 any other way. 

 Thus with 

 regard to drying 

 G e r a n i u m 

 cuttings, and, 

 again, by being 

 careful to cut 

 i 111 mediately 

 under a joint. 

 Now, in practice 

 I find this sub- 

 ject, as well as 

 most soft- 

 wooded plants, 



root readily from any portion of the stem, and therefore 

 cutting to a joint is unnecessary. The gain is considerable ; 

 because when we are dealing with a choice variety, two 

 cuttings may often he obtained in the place of one 

 trimmed in the usual way. The chief cause of failing to 

 root Pelargonium cuttings is that they are liable to rot 

 before the process of callusing has taken place. To 

 prevent this when cuttings are put in early in the season, 

 I tie each to a piece of thin stick, so that I may fasten the 

 cutting to the earth, only allowing the base of the same 

 to just touch it. A batch of 2,000 cuttings was put in 

 in this way during January, and I lost less than half-a- 

 dozen in 1 00. So early in the year I would favour a 

 slight bottom heat, but in this case a surface of fine soil 

 was put on a bed from which Tomatoes were removed, 

 and the cuttings just resting fin the soil as mentioned, 

 placing them about 3m. apart. Later in the spring 

 it is not necessary for one to go to so much 

 trouble in the matter. I 

 off and plant it anywhere in 

 may also be struck singly in 

 placed in larger ones, also 

 and stood on shelves. The only danger 

 they may become too dry without 



cultinc 



simply take 



the soil. Pelargoniums 

 small pots or thickly 

 in huxes or the like, 

 here is that 

 me noticing 



that condition. There is said to be enough sap in a 

 Geranium cutting to root the same without the aid of 

 water. That may be so, but I usually sprinkle the 

 leaves on sunny days. If the cuttings are rooted out of 

 pots, as suggested, take care to pot them the moment 

 rooting has taken place, or the plants will soon run up 

 spindly and soft. I will not detail autumn propagation, 

 as that is so well understood, hut I would advise con- 

 tinual striking, so that one has always young successive 

 batches. 



Complicated mixtures ol soil are not at all necessary. 

 If I had loam, a little grit and bone meal, I should have 

 all I needed for Pelargonium culture. Excellent results 

 may also be obtained by the use of the old partly worn- 

 out compost that Chrysanthemums have been grown in 

 the previous year. It is a common fault to find these 

 plants in a soil rich in animal manures, which in this case, 

 I am sure, leads to the growth of leaves and soft wood. 

 I have in my mind's eye some remarkable specimen plants 

 which were being prepared for an exhibition. This was 

 some years ago, and they have remained to me as choice 

 examples of how not to do it. In the fust place they were 

 potted into I2in. pots loosely. The compost was of the 

 richest description. In summer a spot outside that was 



fairly well 

 shaded by trees 

 was selected. 

 They, of course, 

 had abundance 

 of stimulants, 

 and I should say 

 when finished 

 for competition 

 each plant was 

 a mass of large 

 healthy green 

 leaves some 4ft. 

 high and nearly 

 a s m u c h i n 

 diameter, but 

 blossoms were 

 sadly needed to 

 make them at 

 all presentable. 

 Now, my idea 

 of a well-grown 

 Zonal Pelargo- 

 nium is abun- 

 dance of bloom 

 and compara- 

 tively f e w 

 leaves. 



PELARGONIUM. Plants in 



small pots are 



very showy when well grown. They form useful 

 objects for conservatory or room decoration. A 

 sight I shall not readily forget was a greenhouse 

 tilled with miniature specimens in 4m. pots with huge 

 trusses, only one on each plant. This was a few 

 years back in the garden of a gentleman known for his 

 skill in raising choice Fuchsias — Mr. Banks, of Deal. 

 Individual pips and trusses were here cared for with that 

 same pride with which we know many florists of the old 

 school regard Auriculas or Carnations. I will, however, 

 take the 4jin. pot as the limit for flowering small plants, 

 and it is wonderful what a blaze of colour we may obtain 

 from specimens in this size. They will need but one 

 shift from the small size in which the plants have been 

 placed as soon as rooted. Over the hole put one fair- 

 sized piece of crock, and then cover this with a good 

 handful of quarter-inch bones, using such ordinary soil 

 as I have indicated. Firm potting is most essential. 

 The temperature of an airy greenhouse is one in which 

 the plants will flourish satisfactorily, and stand them as 

 near the glass as convenient. Before the shoots have a 

 chance to run up tall pinch out the points, also the flower 

 buds for a time, until you get a bushy specimen with four 

 or so short, sturdy growths. Meantime, watering must 



