ZONAL PELARGONIUMS FOR WINTER. 



267 



over the heads of the plants was, I am assured, an important 

 factor of success by keeping a warm, dry atmosphere round the 

 blooms, and thus preventing damping in wet, dull weather. 



With respect to temperature, the house should not be 

 allowed to fall below 50° at night, and would be better 5° higher, 

 excepting in very severe weather ; in the daytime it may average 

 60°, with 5° to 10° rise when the sun shines brightly, This 

 item of temperature I look upon as the most important of 

 all, as if neglected even for a short time the plants receive a 

 check from which it is impossible to recover them, not, at least, 

 until spring, when the special object of their cultivation has, of 

 course, been missed. 



Watering must, it almost goes without saying, be carefully 

 done, each plant being watered only when necessary, and care 

 taken during the operation not to spill it about on the foliage and 

 benches. This work is best performed in the early morning, so 

 that the house may become dry again before night. 



If large trusses of flowers are required for exhibition pur- 

 poses, pinch out the point of the shoot just beyond the bloom- 

 bud as soon as it appears, which will have the effect of very 

 much increasing the size of the bloom. I may say that this is 

 particularly necessary in the case of some of the strong-growing 

 semi-doubles of Continental origin, such as Le Bruant, which 

 would otherwise run too much to leaf. 



I find I have omitted all mention of potting soil ; and as this 

 is the first difficulty likely to occur to a beginner. I will add a 

 word or two on this point, though it will probably be superfluous 

 to many. My own soil consists of turf taken from a rather light 

 loam (alluvial drift). This is stacked some months before it is 

 required, with a little cow manure sprinkled between each layer. 

 It is chopped down at potting-time, and a little sand or grit 

 added, nothing more. Leaf soil, of which many gardeners are 

 so fond, is, I believe, distinctly detrimental to the Zonal Pelar- 

 gonium. 



I am convinced that there is a great future before Zonals 

 treated on the lines I have indicated for winter flowering, and 

 that no good garden will in years to come be considered com- 

 plete without them. At the same time, I cannot conscientiously 

 recommend their adoption by anyone who has not sufficient glass 

 accommodation, either to give them a small house to themselves 



