372 JOURNAL OF- THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Scented Geraniums. — These are well known as favourite subjects for 

 the sake of their fragrance, but there are only a few that are suitable 

 for growing into large specimens. Those we grow in this manner are 

 Pelargonium capitatum, P. Badula major, P. ' Clorinda,' P. crispum, and 

 P. quercifolmm. Finding these to be so extremely useful we grow them 

 in varied forms — as fans, as standards, and as pyramids. The first-named 

 are used as screens, being in this form of great service. P. capitatum and 

 P. Badula major are the best, but P. ' Clorinda ' is almost as good, while 

 for the floral effect produced almost continuously through the season it 

 is even better ; its soft, rosy-pink flowers are most distinct and effective. 

 Our oldest of these fans are P. capitatum ; they measure 10 feet across 

 at the base, with a depth at the centre of 8 feet, the tub included. The 

 oldest of these are about thirteen years from the cutting. No pruning 

 is ever done, save to cut-a few straggling shoots occasionally to associate 

 with flowers. To this non-pruning I attribute their longevity, our plan 

 being to tie the shoots in ; rarely do we reduce the balls, but top-dress 

 annually with good loam and leaf -mould or decomposed manure. During 

 the winter these large plants are kept very dry, and by this means a 

 thoroughly sweetening process is effected. The standards are chiefly of 

 P. capitatum and P. Badula major ; they last quite as long as the 

 fans, and are treated in a similar way. They measure 8 feet in height 

 and 4| feet in depth of the head alone, and 3 feet in width. The 

 pyramids, too, are most serviceable ; they, like the standards, are 

 all round plants, measuring in height about feet and 3 feet in width. 

 Pelargonium crispum is a well known variety, often grown as small plants 

 for decoration. I repeatedly tried to grow it as a large bush, but failed. 

 Then I tried an upright style of growth, and have succeeded in keeping 

 my plants nealthy and vigorous. They now measure 8 feet high by 

 2 feet at the base, and are among the prettiest plants imaginable. It 

 is somewhat curious that the method of training should have affected the 

 vitality of this plant, but it is a fact nevertheless, and an object lesson 

 that might be noted. A selection of these scented Geraniums (or Pelar- 

 goniums, to be strictly correct) is made, and after careful hardening off 

 they are sent to the town garden in Hamilton Place, Park Lane, towards 

 the end of May. They remain there until the end of J uly, doing good 

 service around the mansion — in the open air, of course. As a proof of 

 their adaptability for this purpose it is sufficient to state that the plants 

 invariably come back to Gunnersbury in better health than when they 

 are sent up, being of a darker green colour in the foliage. 



Aloysia citriodora, syn. Lippia citriodora (or the scented Verbena, or 

 lemon plant), is another plant that I can most strongly recommend for 

 growing as a specimen. Its fragrance is well known, being an almost 

 universal favourite. When it is well cared for the plant will live for years 

 and increase in size, if need be. I started ours as cuttings in 1890, and 

 in order to form a stem as quickly as possible I planted them in the open 

 ground during the summer of that year, and thus secured stems from 

 4 to 5 feet in length that season. Then, when lifted in the autumn, 

 we kept them steadily growing and commenced to form the head. 

 In this way we saved quite a season, and in three years they were 

 very useful plants. They some time since attained the limit of 



