184 
THE PELARGONIUM. 
namely, that of having strong, healthy, well-rooted plants to 
begin the winter with, believing it to be a safer plan, than to 
waste the fine weather of autumn in a dawdling method of pro¬ 
pagation, which necessarily leaves but little time for the forma¬ 
tion of roots between the time when the plants are placed in pots 
and that when the clouded sky of winter stays every effort, thus 
leaving the plants to struggle on without the natural means of 
support they might otherwise possess. Besides, it is more eco¬ 
nomical to prepare them in this way, for, with strong plants in 
autumn very little fire heat is required till the return of spring, 
its only necessary application being to ward off frost, while, by the 
other mode, artificial heat must be frequently used, and to an 
extent sufficient to keep the plants growing, or they will have 
failed to attain the proper size when the next shifting season 
arrives. 
It is advisable to leave all soft-wooded productions of this 
nature out of doors as long as it may be prudently done, lest on 
their return to the house the occasional bursts of hot sunshine, 
generally felt at this season, should induce them to begin growing 
again, which is only increasing the trouble of preserving them 
through the winter; and, with a precautionary care, the out-of- 
doors season may be prolonged to the middle of October with 
perfect safety. Let the plants be collected as closely together as 
can be done without absolute crowding, and bend hoops over 
them, on which mats may be thrown at night, affording all the 
protection yet necessary, while in the day they will have the con¬ 
tinued benefit of a free atmosphere to mature and prepare them 
for the succeeding confinement. When it becomes absolutely 
requisite to remove them to the greenhouse, let each one be 
carefully examined as it is taken in, correcting all deficiencies of 
drainage as they present themselves, removing insects, dead 
leaves, or accumulative dirt, and then arrange them so that each 
plant may have “ elbow room,” as we have heard it facetiously 
termed. They should by no means touch one another, and every 
individual should be easy of access, either for examination or 
any of the manifold attentions which will soon be required. 
The treatment for the first month should be as opposite to the 
nursing system too frequently observed as is possible; for with 
the strong plants which ought and may be obtained by this time, 
