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THE MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING OF PYUAMIDAL PELAKGONIUMS. 
advantages, we recommend to select from the old plants the most healthy and high-coloured, and, as 
the unhandsome can be best spai-ed, choose from those "vvith whose symmetry you are not pleased. Pre- 
serve the best centre shoot as the leader ; and from it cut away all its rivals, or side shoots ; this act wiU 
increase lateral shoots, which it must be an object to encom-age. Tie up the main shoot to a good strong 
stake, which may be left longer than is requisite at the time, as a vigorous growth may be anticipated. 
The chief attention must now be dii-ccted to divert the growth from the top to the under lateral 
shoots. Stopping the main shoot would tend to it, but this would, for a time, thwart a not less 
important point — the getting up of the plant. However, by a constant pinching of the upper shoots 
or rival leaders, by taking off occasionally there a large leaf, and by preserving every leaf, and bending 
downward, and regulating the shoots at the base and body of the plant, and also by tm'ning and ex- 
posing fully to the light the vacant parts, an approach to the form you aim at will be daily augmenting. 
You mxist lay aside, for the present, the standing rule, " that when you stop one shoot, you must stop all." 
Stop and bend to the place wanting, wherever the strong shoots appear, always excepting the centre. 
But it will be found that the leader will be occasionally running to flower ; in this case stop it, and 
draw in the next wood shoot. We may here mention that, previous to bending the side shoots much, 
it is indispensable to have, near the heel of each lateral, what we shall call a guard-tie, that when the 
shoot is. bent, — and it can be done by degrees to a great distance, — the stress of the bend may come 
upon the tie, and thus prevent the laterals breaking off. We may assume that, about the middle of 
March, there is a great growth upon the plant, and that the pot is fuU of roots ; and as the making of 
wood is of primary importance, (for it will take another season to make this a show plant,) it must 
have a large shift, the drainage perfect, and the soil rich. The size of the pot must be regulated by the 
vigour and size of the plant ; but ashiftfi-om an 11-inch, or rather an 8-rnch, to a No. 6 or 13-inch pot, is 
quite comj^atible with success ; this size, too, \n\\ support well, and give good proportion to a plant fi'om 
5 to 6 feet in height. The soil compose nearly thus : — Tm-fyloam di-awn asimdcr by the hand, and well 
decomposed dung, equal parts ; one-fom-th peat ; and silver sand sufficient to colom- the whole. Little 
water will be requii-ed until the plant takes with the new soil, and of course this is hastened by giving it 
a shady, close, and moist atmosphere for a day or two. We said that one stake is sufficient, and we say so 
still ; but, in a Kttle while, a few temporary stakes for the tender shoots may be of service, before pro- 
vision is made for their permanent support. By the middle of May, the plants should have made an 
apparent fulness of shoots, and will present an outline of the pyramid. But this fulness is only 
apparent, for when each of these shoots is extended nine inches or more, large vacant spaces will pre- 
sent themselves ; therefore a general stopping of the whole plant must shortly take place. If other 
things are equal, the best time to do tliis is when the shoots at the base extend nearly to the rim of 
the pot after being thus finally stopped. The reason for this will appear, when the final tying in of 
the plant in June takes place, of which we now speak. SuiTound the under side of the rim of the 
pot with a strong wire, with or without eyes. To this fasten, at intervals of six or seven inches, 
smaller wii'es to run vertically, and fastened near the top of the stake. To these upright wfres may 
be fastened, if necessary, a few pieces of wire or twine running horizontally ; upon this the flowering 
shoots are tied, and the work is done. We close by submitting a few general dii-ections, which will, 
no doubt, be useful to a large class of those amateur readers who may be beginning to " grow Gera- 
niums." We will suppose the growing season to begin in February. 
Februan/ and March. — Temperature at night fe'om 40 to 45 degrees ; by day, 10 degrees more. In 
dull, cold weather, light a little fire ; increase the moisture as the season advances, and keep the atmo- 
sphere of the house pm-e by aii'ing daily. Guard against cutting winds. Fiunigate, for two or thi-ee 
nights successively, at the fii-st appeai'ance of green fly. In the evenings, towards Api'il, a Kttle 
guano or liquid manure may be cast about the house. Water the plants only with soft water. Avoid 
steaming at all periods. 
April and May. — Night temperature, fi'om 45 to 50 degrees. By day, 10 to 20 degrees more. Satu- 
rate the atmosphere with moisture. Shut up -with sun-heat, but give aii- daily, and at night also 
when the an- is calm and warm. This will prevent the plants drawing. And this also do : keep the 
plants standing free of each other, and tm-n them often ; see that the sun does not strike on the pot. 
Jime and Jnly. — Night temperatm-e, fi-om 50 to 55 degrees. By day, 60 to 80 degrees. We have 
entered the matm-ing and flowering period. Give increased air, and less moistm'e. AYhen the trusses of 
flowers appear, then apply weak, clear liquid manure at every alternate watering. The display of flowers 
will be only moderate compared with what shoidd be next year. To prolong the blooming season, shading 
and coolness are indispensable ; and not less so is gauze or lace, over the openings of the house, to pre- 
vent insects, as bees, touching a flower. Pick off the bloom so soon as it fades. Seed-beai-ing exhausts 
plants, and so does prolonged flowering ; avoid both, for the first year particularly. 
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