?46 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



niums are not troubled with anything in the way of 

 insect pests worth speaking of, but there are a few 

 diseases, brought about by the careless grower in most 

 cases. Take spot in the leaf. I seldom note this on a 

 plant which has not been over-watered. My remedy is 

 to remove such a plant and put the pot on its side, 

 neglecting it entirely for a week or two. The soil will 

 then get thoroughly dry and sweetened. With care in 

 watering afterwards, the plant may in nine cases out of 

 ten be brought round and again made to grow freely. 

 Then there is decav at the base of the stem. This, I 

 fancy, is often caused by faulty watering. Although it 

 occurs with me sometimes, I am verv careful when 

 potting to avoid it somewhat by placing the stem well up 

 in the centre, not burying it deeply, as is sometimes done. 

 And when water is given, do not pour it right on to the 

 stem. It is just as easy to pour it near the inside of the 

 pot's rim. 



Varieties. — Selection of the best varieties for a 

 particular purpose always appears to me a phase nut less 

 important than culture with regard to Pelargoniums or 

 any flower. For example, we find well-cultivated plants 

 of winter-flowering Geraniums composed of sorts like 

 Henry Jacoby, John Gibbons, and even commoner kinds. 

 These are good free-flowering varieties, I admit, bat why 

 not have in their place sorts as rich in colouring and 

 infinitely superior in form, substance, size of pip, and 

 truss ? 



One remarkable fact is this. The Zonal Pelargo- 

 nium has within the past few years been quietly altered 

 and improved by a lew enthusiasts with no special 

 society to foster their efforts. The Rose, the Chrysan- 

 themum, Auricula, Carnation, Dahlia, Pansv, and I know 

 not what, have societies devoted to their exhibition and 

 improvement, but the Pelargonium has none. It had. 

 This, however, died some time ago, and has never been 

 restored. Yet, as I say, the Cannells, Pearsons, and 

 one or two others have during the past ten years given 

 us unquestionably superior sorts. Indeed, in looking 

 through old lists whilst preparing these notes, I may say 



that very few of the best varieties were in commerce 

 half-a-dozen years ago. 



It is somewhat curious that one raiser may obtain a 

 good break in a particular shade of colour, whilst his 

 neighbour may surpass him in another. I find that in 

 salmon shades Messrs. Cannell are responsible for, in my 

 opinion, the best, namely, Mrs. Routh, T. W. Lawton, 

 A. F. Wooten, Mrs. Robert Cannell, and others. In 

 lovely shades of cerise, salmon scarlet, and the like, 

 Messrs. Pearson claim remarkably fine ones — witness, 

 Kitty, Phyllis, Enid, Olivia, O. W. Holmes, and so on. 

 The late Mr. Miller gave us whites of fine form and size in 

 Niagara and Duchess of York among others. The crim- 

 sons, too, of this raiser are grand ; Souv. de S. B. Miller 

 and Volcanie occur to me. Here and there a kind of 

 exceptional merit springs up, but the three men I have 

 mentioned raised the greater portion of up-to-date sorts. 

 Mow many seedlings are required to obtain one good 

 variety is unknown to me. Probably one person gets a 

 strain that will produce more improved varieties among a 

 hundred plants than another would in a thousand. There 

 cannot be am rule to this. 

 Petunias. — These gay flowers have been referred to at 

 some length in dealing with plants for bedding, and they 

 are very easily managed, being usually increased by seed 

 in the case of the single varieties, and the double ones by 

 cuttings. The double forms seem to be the least popular, 

 and this is not surprising, as the flowers are lumpy, and 

 the colours none too pure, but the singles are freer and 

 in every way more decorative. It is not wise to grow 

 many plants in the neighbourhood of large smoky towns, 

 as the clammy nature of the foliage is against them, the 

 leaves catching impurities from the air, which one cannot 

 wash off. Of late years much improvement has taken 

 place in this family. One can choose from a rich 

 selection of colours, especially amongst the single 

 varieties, some self, others blotched and striped, 

 whilst many are charmingly fringed. It would serve 

 little purpose to give all the names of the varieties to be 

 found in catalogues, but by consulting the seed lists of 



THE GRACEFUL STARRY 



CINERARIAS. 



