562 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 29, 1892. 
bright-, but they are not hopeless ; and now, when good feelings 
should prevail, after what, we trust, is the experience of the 
majority, in their having spent Christmas in a wholesome, joyous 
way, we shall hope there will be a community of effort to tide 
over present difficulties, and thus make the future better than the 
past for our grand old country. Our best wishes to all. 
SCENTED-LEAVED PELARGONIUMS. 
These old and at one time neglected plants have made a distinct 
advance in popularity during the last few years, and although 
the majority of them are not very showy, they bid fair to become 
as much the “rage” as Malmaison Carnations have been. No 
•one can dispute with much show of reason that they are extremely 
useful, supplying at the same time—as many varieties do—leaves 
and young shoots, which are deliciously scented, as well as elegant 
or quaint in outline. The flowers, too, in some varieties are 
fairly showy, and among the various sections of this family a good 
variety of colour already exists to work upon. I think, therefore, 
that we may reasonably look forward to the time when scented¬ 
leaved Pelargoniums will, in addition to the good qualities they 
are now valued for, possess flowers approaching in brilliancy to 
those which Zonal Pelargoniums at the present time produce. 
T doubt not that some of our shrewd hybridisers will, if possible, 
work great improvement in the direction indicated, now that they 
find an increasing demand for this class of plants. 
The supply in many gardens, where special attention has not 
been given them, is not equal to the demand, consequently the few 
plants in stock are so persistently denuded of leaves as to give 
them but little chance of making vigorous growth, such as they 
will make when grown under favourable conditions. These plants 
are great favourites here, and we are now engaged in working up 
a large stock, which during the last twelve months have made 
unusually good progress. During the winter and spring months a 
heated pit is devoted to their growth, and when the plants require 
more room than the pit affords they are drafted into the con¬ 
servatory, where they prove useful in a variety of ways. There is 
generally a great scarcity of good leaves and young shoots during 
the early spring months, as anything so useful in the way of 
greenery is cut rather hard during the winter. To obviate this I 
set apart a certain number of plants solely for cutting purposes ; 
these are cleared of all available leaves and shoots as they are 
wanted. When a sufficient number have been so treated they are 
-cut back to within a few inches of the old wood, and kept close to 
the glass in heated pits in the winter, and in the open air during the 
summer months, in each case keeping the soil in the pots somewhat 
dry till young shoots push into growth, when the plants are shaken 
out, the straggling roots cut away, and are placed in pots one 
or two sizes smaller, being afterwards shifted as required, always 
taking care not to cut them again till they have made ample 
growth. By following this course throughout the year plants in 
the right condition for cutting are always on hand. 
I find from the present time up to the new year is a favourable 
period during which to cut down several plants, as they break 
into growth by the beginning of January, and if kept in an inter¬ 
mediate temperature for a couple of months, then gradually inured 
to cooler quarters, they supply good shoots for cutting during May 
and June. If cuttings are not plentiful pieces of stem with a 
•couple of joints may be inserted rather closely together in sandy 
soil. These make very good plants in time, but are of course 
much longer in doing so than cuttings of the usual type. The 
chief supply of these should be inserted in August, when cuttings 
are readily obtained ; these form useful plants in large GO-pots for 
decorative purposes from November onwards, while others rooted 
at the same time, stopped twice, and shifted into 5-inch pots, 
develop into dense bushy plants by April. 
Where large plants are required, after stopping a few times to 
lay the foundation, no further pinching will be required, except 
in the case of shoots which show a tendency to grow unduly strong 
at the expense of weaker ones. The points of these should occa¬ 
sionally be taken out. The main shoots being staked out, and 
thinly disposed they will then produce vigorous side growths, and 
develop into sturdy specimens. I was much struck with the group 
of fine plants exhibited at the great fruit show held at Earl’s Court 
in August last. They were shown by Mr. J. Hudson of Gunnersbury 
House, who generally grows to perfection whatever he takes in 
hand. Standards of various heights and sizes are extremely useful, 
and are always highly prized. I find the well-known Oak-leaved 
variety P. quercifolium, also P. Badula, are well adapted for 
growing in that form. All that is necessary to secure the requisite 
forms is to grow the plants strongly, confine them to a single stem 
till the required height is reached, when the point should be taken 
out, and the side shoots afterwards produced be stopped twice. 
I ought to have mentioned that the single stem should be fastened 
to a straight stake as growth proceeds, and the side shoots rubbed 
out to secure a clean stem, the main leaves being left to strengthen 
it and facilitate growth. 
A mistake sometimes made in the cultivation of scented- 
leaved Pelargoniums is to grow them in too poor a soil. I have 
tried many composts for them, and find they thoroughly enjoy 
liberal treatment. The mixture I recommend consists of two parts 
good loam, one of leaf soil, one well decayed manure, or that from 
a spent Mushroom bed, with a little burnt refuse, soot, and sharp 
sand added. The growth made in a compost of this description is 
vigorous and healthy, and does not easily fall a prey to insects. 
When grown in light houses or pits during the summer months 
judicious syringing plays a most important part in promoting 
health and securing cleanliness. A thorough syringing given once 
a day during the summer months will generally keep the principal 
insect pest, green fly, at bay, but during the winter months an 
occasional fumigating will be necessary to keep such in check. 
Where isolated plants become infested with these insects, they 
may be quickly destroyed by a timely application of some of the 
advertised insecticides, which are invaluable for such purposes. 
Some of the best varieties of scented Pelagoniums to grow are 
the following :—Capitatum, quercifolium minor, Fair Ellen, tomen- 
tosum (a very strong grower with woolly foliage, which is scented 
with peppermint), Dale Park Beauty, Lady Plymouth (variegated), 
Lady Scarborough, Denticulata majus (very finely cut foliage, 
suitable for buttonholes), B-adula major, and Pheasant’s Foot. In 
addition to these there are several good hybrids raised from the old 
Rollisson’s Unique. All of these l ave more showy flowers than 
the preceding. Two of the best are Crimson Unique and Scarlet 
Unique.—H. Dunkin, Warwick Castle. 
Wells Chrysanthemum Show. 
We are informed that the Wells (Somerset) Chrysanthemum Show 
will be held on November 7th and 8th next year. 
Hull and East Riding- Chrysanthemum Society. 
We are informed that the date of the next Show has been fixed for 
Wednesday and Thursday, November 15th and 16th, 1893. 
John Lambert. 
If Hr. Lambert will examine the catalogue of the N.C.S. he will find 
that it does not recognise such a variety as John Lambert. In that case 
no bloom is entitled to such a name at any exhibition where the nomen¬ 
clature and the judges are ruled by the definitions laid down by the 
N.C.S.— Edwin Molyneux. 
Chrysanthemum W, W. Coles. 
“E. M.” (page 531) was quite right in assuming that the yellow 
blooms appeared on several plants of this variety. It appeared on three 
out of the four plants that I grew, and one plant with three shoots had 
two yellow blooms, the other being true. The buds were all taken 
between the middle and the end of August, and were of course crown 
buds. Appearing on three plants simultaneously, I do not attach much 
importance to it as a sport, but thought it was probably subject to this 
variation, and “ E. M.” confirms this supposition.—J. H. W., Leicester. 
Stanstead White. 
This superb variety should be grown in quantity for Christmas 
decoration, when white flowers are so much in demand. It is the best 
variety for the purpose that I know of, and its fluted partially incurved 
florets gives to it a distinct light appearance when arranged in vases. 
This cannot be said of many otherwise excellent varieties, their blooms 
being too dense and lumpy for any other purpose than single specimens. 
We get good late blooms of Stanstead White by growing the plants in 
the ordinary way and cutting them down the last week in May. From 
three to eight shoots are allowed to each plant, and the first buds that 
show are taken.—J. H. W., Leicester. 
White Etoile de Lyon. 
Last season I thought I had a novelty in a pure white sport of 
Etoile de Lyon. At the same time I saw that someone else had also 
the same, and named it Miss Lilian Cope, and it now seems that this 
“new kind” has reverted back to the original. This, I think, is a 
misfortune. I obtained from my sport a few cuttings from the stem 
(cut down hard), and they grew well last summer, but not one has 
proved a true white. It was very pure last year, and the plant 
