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PELAEGONIUJl EXIMIUM. 
PELAEGONIUM EXIMIUM. 
yat. Order, GeRjI>.-I-ic-eje.— Ce-vxe's-bills. [LiiulL Teg. Ebujclom). 
Gexeiuc Ch.^K-1cter.— Cf'^yJ-, five-partite, tlie posteriov sesr- 
mcnts produced into a siiur or slender nectariferous tube, ad- 
nate to the pedicel ; Corolla of five petals, rarely by suppression 
four or sometimes two, alternating with the segments of the 
calyx, rlawctl, more or less irreuular. Staiiuvis ten, raona- 
dclphous, imequal, those opposite the petals shorter or partly 
sterile. ^ Oraries five, adherent to the b,Tse of the colunmar 
f;:3'nophorc, one-celled, two-ovulate. Sli/les filifomi, rather 
longer than the gj-nophore, distinct at the base, adlierent to the 
gynophore, and eomiate above its summit, free at theii* apices. 
Capsules five, beaked ^-ith the styles, ivhich separate elastically 
from the gynophore, and become spirally twisted, suspended bj' 
these to the summit of the gjmophore, or .it length deciduous, 
one-celled, one-seeded by abortion, deliiscing by the venti-al 
suture. 
PKL.A.RGONn:ar Eximtitm. — Flower of the Day Pelargonium. 
A garden hybrid, the genealog)' of which is too obscure to allow 
of any satisfactory statement. 
ffJiESCRIPTION. — A very showy, half-shmbby perennial, of a chvarf compact habit ; stems 
<»^stout, succulent, and, like the petioles and flower-stalks, clothed with a soft down. Leaves 
lari^e, somewhat peltate, cordate-orbiculate, about seven-lobed, the lobes creuate ; of a fine 
green colour, with a broad silvery border. Flower-stalks numerous, elongated, bearing large 
crowded and somewhat globular heads of flowers. Flowers lai'ge, of a bright cherry-red 
colour ; the petals wedge-shaped, sometimes slightly excavated at the obtuse summit, veined 
in the lower half 
HisTOET, Sec. — This very handsome plant was raised by Mr. Ivinghom, Gardener to the 
Earl of Eahnorey, and was produced by crossing Lee's variegated Pelargonimn with some of the 
best green varieties of the section. Mr. Ivinghorn believes it to be a cross with Globe Com- 
pactum, and states that it may be cultivated as easily as that variety. It does not exhibit any 
tendency to throw out green shoots. The name of the genus. Pelargonium or Stork's-bUl, is 
derived from ^^elari/os, a stork, the immature fruit bearing some resemblance to the head and 
beak of a stork. — ^A. H. 
Cttliuke. — The whole of the Scarlet Pelargoniums are invaluable for flower-garden decora- 
tion. For tlus pm'pose, then- cultivation is very simple. Cuttings are struck in good time during 
smnmer, which get well established in separate pots of thi'ee inches, or five inches diameter, 
according as the varietj^ may be a weak or a strong grower ; they are topped to jsroduce a dwai'f 
branchy habit of growth ; kept growing gently aL. the summer ; weU ripened in autumn by 
limiting theii- supply of water, and by exposing them as much as possible to bright light ; win- 
tered in a light greenhouse secm-e fi-om frost, but with a low temperature, and with good means 
of ventilation ; shifted about ]\Iarch, and a little excited by being kept somewhat closer, and 
then gradually hardened ofi", and finally planted out into the beds or borders as early in May 
or June as the season will admit, but not nntU the chances of fr-osty nights are gone by. 
This plan secures dwarf, compact plants, suitable for small beds, or for planting towards the 
mai'gins of larger ones, as they may be kept dwarf, by once or twice topjjiug them in sjoring. 
Large jilants are to be had b}' taking up in autumn, before they are damaged by fi'osts, those 
plants which have during summer, occupied the garden ; putting them into pots as small as 
w^ll hold their roots with a little soil, placing them in a close fr-ame until estabhshed ; and 
wintering them in auy dry cool j)art of the greenhouse which shall seciu'e them against frost. 
They will lose most of their leaves, but this is of no consequence as their bare branches will 
become furnished ■with new .shoots and leaves in due time in spring. Such jjlants, like the 
others, must be protected by fi-ames, imtil they can be safely planted out. Any good garden 
soil, not too rich, but loamy, will suit the Scarlet Pelargoniums, but the winter comjjost should 
be a sandy loam ^-ith a little leaf mould. 
The stronger growing varieties of this race of Pelargoniums including the variety repre- 
sented in our plate, make splendid conservatory plants when grown to some considerable size. 
For this purpose, yoimg healthy plants should be selected in July, those ha-^-ing fom- or five 
young shoots from near the base being preferred ; let them get rather drj% and then cut back 
the young shoots to within a couple of eyes of the old wood : set them in an exposed place, 
and give very little water until they have fafrly put forth young shoots ; then tm'u them 
shake away the soil from the roots, ti'im the latter, and repot the plants ; set them in a frame 
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