285 
the COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 7, 1860. 
to be encrusted with filth. If insects now get a-liead, farewell 
to all satisfaction afterwards. During those winter months the 
plants will always suffer more from moisture than from dryness. 
Even the leaves must not be damp long, or you may lay your 
account with spot and other evils. Do not hurry the plants at 
this season. I have seen fine plants in June that had scarcely 
a leaf larger than a shilling in the previous December. In fact, 
other matters being equal, fine flowering in summer will almost 
be in proportion to little growth in the first part of winter. 
Keep the plants, if possible, on shelves and in houses, in preference 
to pits, unless the latter are span-roofed. 
Potting fob Flowering.- —Keep in mind that in general, hulk 
for bulk, a small pot will produce more bloom than a large one. 
The plants will tlirow up the finest trusses when the roots are 
pressing against the sides of the pot. When, therefore, I have 
wanted bloom very early, I have kept the plants in the pots they 
received in autumn, and fed them now and then with manure 
water after the new year, and always, when they could take it, as 
soon as they began to knot for bloom. A moderate shift, how¬ 
ever, will not interfere with flowering, and will givo a greater 
degree of luxuriance. Eor this purpose we use the richer com¬ 
post recommended. In January the most forward plants should 
be selected, another batch in the middle of Eebruary, and a third 
in the first or second week in March. These may be expected 
to bloom successively in May, June, and July. Cuttings struck 
the previous summer and autumn, topped and repotted in spring, 
will make nice, stubby, little, flowering plants in August and 
September. When thus repotted, the plants should be kept 
closer and warmer to encourage fresh rooting. At this potting 
the ball is left entire, with the exception of removing a little of 
the drainage and disengaging the roots at the sides of t he hall. 
As the sun gains power the soil will need more water, care must 
be taken to have the leaves dry in sunshine, and, in fact, to 
prevent moisture hanging on them for any length of time. 
Tbaining is now a matter of moment. A few shoots may 
threaten to starve the rest by taking more than their proper 
share. These must be stopped, and when diverted into two new 
shoots instead of one, the strength will be equalised. Where 
two or more buds were left on a spur, some may be extra weak, 
and should be removed if they can be spared. Preserve no more 
than will have room to grow regularly. In small plants in 32’s 
or 24’s, if the lower tier is fastened to the rim of the pot, and 
a centre stake in the centre, all the shoots may be kept in their 
place, with a little hasping with threads if the plant is for home 
decoration. If for an exhibition table, each shoot must be sup¬ 
ported, but the sticks should be hid as much as possible. Eor 
larger plants it is good to have a light, circular frame of wood 
or wire, extending as far as necessary beyond the pot and fastened 
over its rim. This dispenses with many sticks in the soil and 
among the roots. 
Blooming.- —After the roots are working freely in the fresh soil, 
plenty of air must be given according to the weather, but so as to 
give no check to the plants from sudden falls of temperature. 
Little or no air is better than letting in a drying, cold east wind. 
In unfavourable weather a very little at the top of the house will 
prevent stagnation. Too much cannot be given in line mild 
weather. As soon as the flower-buds begin to appear, use weak 
manure water almost constantly. If given earlier it would 
increase too much the size of the foliage. Remove and thin out 
leaves at times, when there is not room for them to get light. As 
the flowers open shade from bright sunshine; and if you wish 
to preserve them long, not only keep the house cool, but also 
bee and fly-proof by means of gauze over the air openings. 
Propagation. —The most suitable time is after pruning the 
old plants. Every bud or joint of the shoots removed may be 
transformed into a young plant. Unless with scarce and valuable 
kinds this is not required, and, in general, we are satisfied with 
making a cutting out of every two joints. A sharp knife goes 
right across the centre of the lower joint, and that forms the 
bottom of the cutting. An oblique cutting upwards is made 
above the next joint, and the seen or unseen bud there forms the 
head of the future plant. It matters not whether the cuttings 
have leaves or not:—with them, they may root faster if carefully 
attended to; without them, they will root as safely and require 
less trouble. Cuttings may have three or more of these buds 
instead of the one at the top. In July and August all such hard 
cuttings will strike as well in a little sandy soil in the open air as 
anywhere else. Of course, they will also strike nicely under glass, 
with two or three cuttings in a small pot. Such hard cuttings 
are capital for transmitting by post. Young succulent shoots 
may be struck at any time in the usual way under glass. Cut. 
tings should be selected that are sliort-jointcd. 
Diseases and Insects.—I say nothing of rotten, decaying, 
and yellow leaves, for these are the attendants of slovenli¬ 
ness. The two worst diseases are mildew and the spot. The 
first is generally the consequence of a stagnant atmosphere, in 
dull muggy weather, whilst the soil is saturated with moisture. 
The remedies are obvious, aud will be assisted by putting a little 
sulphur in the heating medium, when that is never hotter than 
150 . Spot I believe to be the consequence of too much moisture 
at the roots in unison with a low temperature, and to the leaves 
in winter and spring being frequently damp for want of heat and 
a circulation of air. The remedy here is also obvious. The 
worst insects are green fly and thrips ; and when taken early the 
best remedy is smoking with good shag tobacco, taking care that 
the smoke reaches the plants in a cool state. Smoko whenever a 
single insect is seen—it is money thrown away to do it several 
days afterwards. After smoking, shade from bright sun for a 
day or two. 
FBENCH FANCY PELARGONIUMS. 
The characteristics of these, so blotched, spotted, and mottled, 
are undefinab'c; but, though so puzzling to the florist, are very 
interesting either for their beauty or their singularity. Tile 
beauty is often enhanced as in form they approach the florist’s 
standard. All that lias been said above will be applicable to this 
section, with the exception that some weak-habited kinds would 
not dislike a little more sand and a little heath mould. 
florists’ fancy telargoniums. 
Characteristics. — These are different somewhat from the 
larger varieties. In form the flower should be round and flat, 
not cupped, as in the former. Each of the five petals should 
be similar in size, thick, and even and regular on the edges. 
The ground colour should be clear and distinct, and the 
border colour clear, light, and well defined. The two upper 
petals must be exactly alike, and the three lower petals alike. If 
there is feathering in addition to spots, that must be clear and 
distinct, not run or mottled. Each truss should be compact, 
and have fine blooms with room for all to expand, and not to 
straggle. The habit of the whole plant should bo compact, aud 
the foliage small in proportion to the larger kinds. Great 
abundance of bloom-buds and continuous blooming for a long 
period are also necessary qualities. 
The general culture of these is much the same as for the larger 
kinds. I will here just indicate the chief points of difference. 
Being loss succulent, the plants must not get so dry in winter, 
though they hate anything like over-watering or water-logging. 
A cold, stationary atmosphere is tlieir peculiar abhorrence. The 
temperature should seldom sink much below 45°. In summer 
they will not want so much water as the larger kinds ; but when 
either of them is allowed to get over dry, they will tell you how 
they like it by allowing a layer of their lowest leaves to become 
yellow. When set out of doors in summer, the plants must not 
be allowed to get too dry. 
In pruning, if the plants are young, it is as well not to spur 
back so close. They like best being kept under glass afterwards. 
The soil used should have more saud and leaf mould, and in 
tender kinds a little heath soil will be prized. The plants will 
thrive in smaller pots than the larger ones. A 32 or a 24 will 
grow a good-sized specimen. Cuttings made from the summer 
prunings will do best when placed under glass at once in very 
sandy loam, and one cutting in a small pot is the best for pot 
culture. Not but the strongest kinds will strike in the open 
border in July and August; but for all the general, compact 
varieties, they will do better under a handlight, or below a frame, 
or shaded behind some largish pots in the greenhouse. In 
training, more care will be requisite in thinning and regulating 
the shoots, and thinning the foliage, when too thick. They are 
well worth the extra attention. 
Forcing. —None of these sections force well. True, you may 
grow the plants as vigorously as you like, and get splendid 
foliage; but the blooms always suffer when the plants are de¬ 
prived of an airy, coolish atmosphere. Such kinds as Alba mul- 
tijlora, Blanchjleur, Admiral Napier , aud Dennis' Alma, come 
very early with a few degrees rise in the temperature. 
SCARLET PELARGONIUMS. 
From large Defiance to little Baron Engel many make nice pot 
plants, and are extra accommodating; so that, if desired, they 
may be had in flower almost constantly. All thrive admirably in 
