<?/ttisx\ 
THE TRAINING OF THE PELARGONIUM. 
■X^K 
Fig. 1. 
Fig. 2. 
f 
detailing what they would do, than what they have done. Such men are useful in their way, for 
even slovenly gardening is hetter than no gardening at all. But, once for all, we may say Pelar- 
goniums cannot be grown to any size without supports ; when in free growth, a rough wind would blow 
them limb from limb, and as for carrying them to an exhibition without smashing them to pieces, it 
would be impossible. That less stakes than are generally used may suffice, and that they may be 
used of a much smaller size is quite true ; but to attempt to carry a plant without staking is quite out 
of the question. Do not, however, use any more than are absolutely necessary, and let them be as thin 
and unobtrusive as possible. The best are the young shoots of the Snowberry (Sympboria racemosa), 
and the nest small tough dry young Willow shoots. Either of these kinds will stand for a season, and 
when dry they are so tough and why that they may be bent in any direction, and will retain their 
form. 
The annexed engravings show a set of young plants from the first start in October in small pots, 
up to a fully-formed plant. Fig. 1 is a young plant just purchased from the nurseries, the head 
of which has been taken off to form a cutting, and the buds of which are 
breaking into young shoots. Three shoots are produced, and those after grow- 
ing to the length of four or six inches are stopped 
by pinching out the points, produce their lateral 
shoots and flower in the autumn ; and after being 
thoroughly ripened by exposure to the full sun, 
are cut down as represented in Fig. 2. This is 
what, in nursery parlance, is termed a young 
stool or bottom, and is the sort of plant which an 
amateur should select to grow into a nice specimen. In Fig. 3 we have 
the same plant grown another season and cut down ; and here it will be 
seen it has added materially to its size, and has become a really fine ground- work for a specimen 
plant. But to form these bottoms is not quite so 
easy as to write about them. Young Pelargo- 
nium shoots are formed of brittle materials, and 
hence considerable care and patience is necessary 
to get the shoots into the requisite form. We 
first begin with long hooked pegs, and peg the 
shoots into their places a little at a time, say de- 
pressing each shoot a little every three or four 
days until it gets into proper shape ; always, if 
possible, taking advantage of the sunny part of 
Fig. 3. the day, and allowing the plants to be rather 
dry at the time. In the afternoon of a sunny day, and before watering the plants, you may 
take much greater liberties with the young shoots of a Pelargonium than would be safe in the morning ; 
and hence, that time should always be chosen. When the plants get too large for pegs, small sticks 
of the necessary strength are used, placing them wherever it is necessary to draw the branches to, 
and to avoid using many stakes a band of bass, mat, or wire is passed round below the rim of the pot 
and made fast; a piece of fine matting or string is then tied to the various branches, and each is drawn 
into the position it is destined to occupy. When the branches are depressed below the level of the 
rim of the pot, an arrangement of this kind is indispensible, and, independently of that, it is a very 
neat way of accomplishing our aim. Without a properly formed stool it is impossible to get a perfect 
plant, and, therefore, no pains must be spared to arrange the branches properly, before they get too 
much crowded with foliage. Sometimes branches are liable to split in the fork, that is, where they 
start from the parent stem, and then, before attempting to train them, the branches must be tied 
together by means of strong pieces of soft matting. Thus arranged, with perseverance and patience, 
the plants may be made to assume any form you please, but they must be gently handled ; and 
hence, never attempt to train a plant except when you have leisure to do so carefully, and without 
hurry. 
In Fig. 4 we have the plant advanced another year, and it is now of a size sufficiently large for 
all ordinary purposes. Such a stool, with proper management, and if of a free-growing kind, such as 
Queen Superb, or Peine des Francais, would form a plant from four to six feet in diameter, and 
should produce more than a thousand trusses of flowers — a sight worth seeing, and an ample recompense 
for the trouble that has been taken in its formation. Such stools are rarely to be bought ; those who 
have them do not like to part from them. The stools represented in our engravings are not 
I 
