103 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 18 1858. 
the season advances, the gross weight of honey, comb, &c., 
will increase, the hive will sink, and its action on the spiral 
spring will cause the index to travel and register the amount. 
Thus the increase of weight during a given week of fine 
weather, in the height of the season, will be proclaimed on the 
dial, in a manner at once pleasing and intelligible ; and if 
several of such stands were placed side by side, the progress 
of the stocks on them could be compared from day to day. 
As there is a play of only three inches between the bottom 
of the hive board and the top of the stand, the action of the 
spring cannot, possibly, cause any injurious jerking upwards, 
on the removal of a heavy super, or any other operation, which 
j might materially increase or decrease the weight. I have 
ordered some to be made to register as high as 100 lbs., 
| though such will not be wanted in any great number.— 
! Shirley Hibberd. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
THE PELARGONIUM. 
Culture for May and June. — These gay-flowering 
plants will now be showing their blossom-buds. If the plants 
are healthy, and in small pots, they will flower much finer 
: if they are shifted into a size larger pot, but this must not 
be exceeded; care should be taken not to over pot, for if that 
is done, the foliage will preponderate over the bloom. It will 
be more prudent to give support in the shape of weak, clear, 
liquid manure. This may be applied with advantage to 
plants already in their blooming-pots. Even this stimulant 
! should be withheld when the blooms begin to open. No 
; artificial heat is useful to these plants, except in frosty 
j weather, or when damp and rain prevail. ’Whenever arti- 
' ficial heat is given, air should be given also, if not actually 
! frosty. The heat will drive out the damp, if the upper air 
i holes are opened. Keep every part of the house quite clean 
' and sweet. Clear away all dead or decaying leaves. If the 
healthy leaves are dirty, or dust on them, they should be well 
j spunged, and the glass should be well washed also, both 
i inside and out. The stages and paths should also be kept 
| quite clean. In very hot sunshining days, the blooms should 
be shaded with a thin gauze, such as Shaw’s Tiffany, which 
is, I think, the best of all for shading purposes. New va¬ 
rieties require a close attention on them arrival at the pur¬ 
chaser’s residence. Unpack them carefully, and pick off all 
the litter of package from the soil and foliage. Then wash 
i the latter with a sponge and clean water. Then, as soon as 
the leaves are dry, stir the surface of the soil, and put them 
in a light, airy part of the greenhouse, for a week. During 
j that time provide a sufficient quantity of good turfy loam, 
and hotbed manure a year old. Mix these together in equal 
parts, and add some silver or river sand. Then examine the 
plants, and repot them into pots two sizes larger, if they are 
healthy and vigorous, or one size larger if they are weakly. 
At this time of the year, this one repotting will be sufficient 
till the bloom is over. Let this be borne in mind—plants 
purchased this spring will not form fine plants and large 
trusses of bloom this season. Therefore, the florist will 
prepare his new plants for blooming in first-rate perfection 
m 1859. 
Cuttings .—Where they can be had, may now be put in. 
j The large-flowering varieties strike easy enough put into pots, 
j placed in a gentle heat under glass. I have, indeed, struck 
[ hundreds in a border in the open air, but I prefer putting 
! the cuttings in pots, for the simple reason, that when rooted 
they are potted off with less injury to their roots. 
Many of the fancy class are difficult to strike in the ordi¬ 
nary way. I found them root most freely by putting the 
cuttings in very sandy pure loam, in shallow pans, or saucers, 
and placed on a shelf near the glass. The wood, I took care, 
was partially hardened at the base, and most likely many of 
the cuttings at their lower extremity actually came in contact 
with the pan, or, at least, rested on the thin layer of broken 
crocks used as drainage. This coming in contact with a 
hard substance is, I verily believe, of service, in inducing the 
production of that swelling at the base which we call callosity. 
I have propagated even the Orange tribe, hard-wooded though 
they are, by fixing the lower end of the cuttings close to the 
bottom of the cutting-pot. As soon as the cuttings of the | 
Pelargonium are rooted, they should be potted off into small 
pots. The roots are very tender, and soon snap off!, if not 
carefully handled. When potted they should be put into a 
frame, and shaded for a few days, till fresh roots are made, to 
enable them to bear full exposure. Plants raised now, and 
repotted twice during the summer, stopped frequently, and 
tied out, will form excellent blooming plants next season. 
I conclude these few brief remarks by giving my annual 
list of the best selected varieties. ; 
Twelve New and Selected Varieties. 
1. Etna (Turner), a rich-coloured, distinct variety; lower i 
petals scarlet; top petals dark maroon, margined with a clear 
line of scarlet. 
2. Mazeppa (Turner), a richly-spotted variety; lower 
petals rose-coloured ground, with a distinct dark-maroon spot 
on each petal; top petals dark maroon, broadly margined 
with rose. Form excellent, free blooming, and constant. 
3. Richard Benyon (Hoyle), rich deep-orange crimson, 
with black blotch on the upper petals. Very good and a free 
bloomer. 
4. Rose Celestial (Turner), a large flower with white 
centre; lower petals rose; top petals dark maroon, shaded to 
the margin with rose. Free bloomer and fine form. 
5. Rosy Gem (Turner), bright cherry rose, novel in colour; 
top petals have a medium-sized dark spot on each centre; 
pure white. Distinct and striking. 
6. Lmcifer (Fellowes), colour rosy scarlet, with maroon 
blotch on the upper petals. Free bloomer and smooth edges. ' 
7. Imperatrice (Turner), clear white centre; top petals 
orange, with dark maroon blotch; lower petals mottled with i 
rose. Free and constant. 
8. Sprightliness (Foster), lower petals rose, maroon blotch 
on the upper petals, broadly margined with orange scarlet; 
centre white, and clearly defined. A cheerful, free-blooming, 
distinct variety. 
9. Minnie (Foster), lower petals bright-orange scarlet, top 
petals black, with a well-defined margin of scarlet. Size medium. 
10. Queen of Beauties (Turner), an improved spotted 
variety; lower petals white ground, with a carmine spot on 
each; top petals dark, with a margin of white. Distinct and 
beautiful. 
11. Belle of the Season (Hoyle), lower petals white, with 
slight pink shade ; top petals cherry and salmon, with white 
margin. Cheerful and distinct. 
12. Festus (Hoyle), centre white; lower petals orange 
pink ; top petals shaded orange; large trusses, and a constant 
free bloomer.—Average price 15s. each. 
Five Choice Varieties. 
Agnes (Hoyle), a large, free-blooming variety, and very 
constant; rosy pink general colour, with medium black 
blotch on the upper petals ; clear white centre. 
General Williams (Turner), a bold, dark variety ; strongly 
veined and painted lower petals; top petals black, with i 
crimson margin. A noble flower. 
King of Scarlets (Turner), ground colour scarlet, with 
medium black spot on the upper petal. Decidedly an im» 
provement. 
Brince of Brussia (Story), ground colour pure white, with 
medium blotch on the upper petals. A large finely-shaped 
flower, and a free bloomer. 
Spotted Gem (Turner), general colour a soft rosy lilac, 
with distinct dark spots on each petal.—Average price 5 s. 
each. 
Twelve Selected Older Varieties. 
Admirable (Turner), ground colour rose; white centre; 
dark blotch on the upper petals. Very good. 
Arab (Beck), rosy crimson, with maroon spots on each petal, 
Carlos (Hoyle), large trusses; lower petals rose; upper 
petals dark, edged with carmine. One of the best. 
Diana (Hoyle), ground colour pink ; large blotch on the 
upper petal. 
Governor General .—A well-known first-class variety. 
Hermione (Hocken), a pure white-ground variety, with a 
dark blotch on the upper petals. 
Lord Raglan (Hoyle), orange scarlet, dark blotch. Very 
good. 
Mr. Hoyle (Turner), rosy pink, with a dark spot on each 
petal. Distinct and good. 
