THE FLORAL IVORLP 



3 



AS TO GERANIUM CULTURE. 



In order to produce rapid and heal- 

 -thy growth in geraniums I take them 

 up in early spring and refill my boxes 

 with a sufficient quantity of loose, 

 pulverized soil of ordinary strength. 

 Then I set and put - on top a coat of 

 pulverized cow manure, one inch 

 thick. This greatly invigorates the 

 runners, retains moisture, and is a 

 sufficient guard against destructive 

 vermin. Box flowers neither have 

 strength nor beauty so long as the 

 roots have to "gimlet" through a 

 tight, hard soil. Whatever obstructs 

 the runners tends to destroy capillary 

 attraction, a very important factor in 

 the distribution of plant food. These 

 -flowers should never be subjected to 

 heavy rams, nor watered so as to 

 cause drainage from the vessels that 

 contain them; either is injuriou-s and 

 may be destructive. Away with your 

 wet, hard and dry soil. But give me 

 a balance of moisture. I water once 

 or twice a month with liquid manure. 



North Carolina. I. O. Hines. 



Geraniums are not often troubled 

 with insects, and if you cultivate 

 them intelligently for winter bloom, 

 they will not disappoint you. Do not 

 expect plants that have blossomed 

 outdoors or in pots all summer to con- 

 tinue doing so all winter. For winter 

 bloom do not pot small plants in large 

 pots. They will grow well and be 

 thrifty plants with an abundance of 

 blossoms next spring and summer. 



To have gepaniums bloom during 

 the winter, root your slips in the 

 spring or early summer, and set in 

 small pots, having good drainage. If 

 an old plant, cut it back nearly to the 

 root. Iteep all the buds nipped off 

 during the summer and they will be 

 sure to blossom in the winter. Al- 

 ways water when the soil is dry. 

 There are so many varieties one can 

 have a beautiful window with nothing 



but geraniums. The single and semi- 

 double are the best for winter bloom. 

 Mrs. E. G. Hill heads the list with its 

 enormous clusters that come continu- 

 ously, of salmon-colored flowers, 

 closely followed by John Lewis 

 Childs, color pale pink heavily mot- 

 tled and spotted with crimson. Mad- 

 am Bruant, Freedom, Sov. de Mi- 

 randa, three Aureoles, Marde Layres, 

 the flnest of all single whites. Flow- 

 ering Rose geranium combines free 

 flowering qualities with fragrant foli- 

 age." Its bloom is very flne and the 

 foliage makes it a truly novel plant. 

 The tri-color and silver-leaved varie- 

 ties are so beautiful we hardly real- 

 ize their lack of flowers. The ivy 

 geraniums are equally good for bas- 

 ket or pot plants. They must have 

 good sunlight, small pots, water and 

 good drainage. 

 Michigan. Jessie L. Austin. 



I would suggest, in selecting plants 

 for the window garden, to select those 

 that like the same temperature, not 

 to mix up those that like a cool room 

 with those that must have summer 

 heat, or you will have "'poor luck," 

 and no wonder. I think the gera- 

 nium the best all-round window plant 

 for the amateur, provided you can 

 keep the room at a high temperature. 

 Six to a dozen assorted geranium 

 plants with one or two decorative 

 plants or vines makes a lovely win- 

 dow garden. And they won't sulk 

 and require so much coaxing and pet- 

 ting as some others, if you will give 

 decent soil and attention. Some one 

 speaks of ugly, straggly geraniums. I 

 have seen that kind, but I see no ex- 

 cuse for having such, as it can easily 

 be avoided by keeping all faded 

 leaves picked off and cutting back 

 those limbs inclined to grow too fast, 

 or pinching out the "terminal bud" 

 end of shoot, and pruning away the 

 weakly, sickly looking branches, and 

 you will have a prettier bush and 



