THE FLORIST. 
241 
BECK’S PELARGONIUMS, 
AND THEIR SEASON OF FLOWERING. 
BY J. DOBSON. 
Having frequently been asked by cultivators, both amateurs and in 
the trade, to give them some information upon the varieties of Pelar¬ 
gonium raised at this place, by which they may be guided in their 
practice, I propose in this paper to inform them of their habit as 
early or late bloomers, &c. Few flowers are subjected to such 
rigorous criticism as the Pelargonium ; and as some varieties come in 
perfection early, some late, and some are always good, it certainly is 
desirable, particularly for exhibitors, to know how to treat them, 
lest they should prepare them for exhibition at a time when they are 
not in perfection. The first I shall notice are those that are finer 
in May and the early part of the season, and which lose their colour 
as the year advances, from the effect of powerful light. Such are 
Rosamond, Aurora, Hebe’s Lip, Cruenta, Arabella, Bacchus, Rosy 
Circle, and Resplendent. Now if these are cut down in the month 
of July, and are allowed to grow on without stopping, they will come 
into bloom, and be in perfection, in the early part of May and first 
two weeks in June. The second class will include Cassandra, Des- 
demona, Honora, Mustee, Grandiflora, and Isabella, of the older varie¬ 
ties, and Emilia, Sundown, and Delicatissima, which will be sent out in 
October. None of these are in their true character till June and July ; 
they should all be stopped back the last week in December or the 
first week in January, to get them into flower in June. The third 
division, or those that are good all through the season, will include 
Gulielma, Centurion, Cavalier, Competitor, Gustavus, and Blanche ; 
and of the new varieties, Mont Blanc (Story’s No. 2), Refulgent, 
Symmetry, Princess, and Star. Of the two latter. Princess will be 
found quite novel in colour; and Star, from the imperfect formation 
of its pistil, and never bearing seed, its dwarf habit and profuse 
blooming, will no doubt form not only a valuable plant for exhibition, 
but also for bedding out; the latter is of course only speculation— 
it has not been tried. The greater portion of the plants I have exhi¬ 
bited in the past season were two years old, grown and treated ex¬ 
actly as is stated in the Treatise ; and it gives me pleasure to say, that 
many gentlemen have told me that, since they have followed the 
directions it contains, their flowers have been as fine as our own, and 
some that have been sent or brought here have proved that others 
could produce beautiful trusses, in every way equal to our own. As 
the Treatise is now out of print, I shall be excused adding, that we 
have no secrets, and that it would be better to confess inability to 
cultivate, than to imagine, as some have done, that we have withheld 
in that work information on which success depends. 
Worton Cottage, Islewortk. 
