1878. ] 
VILLA GARDENING FOR SEPTEMBER. 
141 
Mr. William Brown, of Hendon, one of the 
leading market growers, staged a collection of 
market Pelargoniums, among them a fine high- 
coloured variety named Mermeros, and a plant 
selected from the batch, growing, be it remem - 
bered, in a 48-sized pot, was found to have 
seven main shoots, and these had branched into 
various others; and on these shoots there were 
thirty-sis expanded trusses of bloom, with 
others coming on into flower. Why, it was a 
fine exhibition specimen in a 48-pot—a much 
better show specimen than is met with at many 
country flower-shows, growing in an 8-in. or a 
10-in. pot. 
There are many growers of Pelargoniums for 
market, but two of the leading ones are Messrs. 
J. and J. Hayes, of Edmonton, and Mr. W. Brown, 
of Hendon. The principal varieties grown at 
Edmonton are Princess Hortense , Kingston 
Beauty, Coronet,Bob Boy,Duchess of Edinburgh, 
which is considered to be superior to the newer 
Duchess of Bedford, Bouchcirlat, and Triumphant. 
As several of the fine new “ regal ” varieties 
originated at Edmonton, it is not to be wondered 
at that they are grown also, since they promise 
to make remunerative market kinds ; these are 
Queen Victoria, Prince of Pelargoniums, Prince 
of Wales, Princess of Wales, Prince Tech, 
Beauty of Oxton, and Dr. Masters. Other 
market growers have a larger choice of varieties ; 
Triomphe de St. Mancie, and others, are much 
grown, but those given above may be accepted 
as standard market sorts. 
Mr. W. Brown, of Hendon, who every sea¬ 
son markets some 6,000 plants (and one of the 
large Hendon Pelargonium houses, when full of 
plants ready for market, is a sight never to be for¬ 
gotten), mainly of varieties raised by himself, and 
very fine some of them are. Among these are 
Mermeros, Mermeros Improved, Challenger, T. 
A. Dickson, and Sultan ; and of older varieties 
raised by other growers, Mabel, Bob Boy, Fasci¬ 
nation, Deflection, and Whetstone Hero. Mr. 
Brown finds that high-coloured varieties find 
a readier and better sale than do the lighter 
ones, and by far the largest proportion of his 
plants have high-coloured flowers. Mermeros, 
Mermeros Improved, and T. A. Dickson are 
fine varieties of this type, well adapted for 
market and decorative purposes. 
Cuttings are put in from June to August. 
Every bit of wood available for cutting pur¬ 
poses is seized on, and when a batch of plants 
is sent to market, they are looked over, and 
any branch that might be termed a superla¬ 
tive appendage to the plant is turned into cut¬ 
tings. In addition, certain plants are also kept 
* back for propagating purposes, and during the 
three months named, the work of propagation 
is carried on with avidity. The cuttings are 
put in 48-pots in a light free sandy soil, and 
stood on the front stage of the plant houses. 
They soon root, and are then potted off singly, 
the strongest into middle 60’s, the weakest into 
thumbs, and as soon as there is room to stow 
them away in the houses, they are potted into 
the market pots (48’s). The great thing is to 
get the plants well established and thriving 
in the 60-pots ; it is then that the foundation of 
the fine free market plant is laid. 
Some people suppose that these market 
plants are fed with exciting stimulants to bring 
them to such perfection, but this is not true. 
Very little indeed is administered, and very 
many of the plants do not have any. The great 
success is mainly a matter of soil, watering, 
and attention. A rich soil is used, because it is 
made up in great measure of well-decomposed 
manure, dried almost to powder, a good loam, 
leaf-soil, and a little sand. This is a holding 
compost, supplying the plants with rare nutri¬ 
ment. Watering is of the first importance, 
especially so when the roots have completely 
filled the pots. The plants are never permitted 
to suffer for want of water. The plant-houses 
are so light and airy that the plants cannot fail 
to do well; and then there is a constant round 
of daily attentions that, apparently little in 
themselves, are yet important factors in the 
sum of success that crowns the efforts of the 
grower. Sweetness of the pots is another very 
important particular in successful cultivation. 
A good market grower confines himself to cer¬ 
tain subjects, and so disposes of his staff that 
each subject shall be properly cared for just at 
the right time. There is something akin to 
scientific exactness in growing market plants, 
and they appear to be as docile as children 
when the course of cultivation is intelligently 
ordered, and strictly carried out in all its 
details.—R. Dean, Ealing, W. 
VILLA GARDENING FOR 
SEPTEMBER. 
AST month we were congratulating 
Villa Gardeners on the brilliant summer 
Y vs -' weather. It has passed away, and left 
in its place a showery time—and such showers, 
too! When the rain comes, it is with some¬ 
thing akin to fury ; it is heavy, drenching, and 
constant, but excepting that it destroys for a 
time the beauty of the flower-beds, and some¬ 
what interferes with work, gardeners have not 
great reason to deplore the rainfall, for it is, 
on the whole, beneficial. 
Greenhouse. —All the soft-wooded plants 
named last month are still in bloom, and if the 
decaying flowers be picked off, the plants kept 
clean, and carefully watered, will remain gay 
for some time yet. Thunbergicis make very 
pretty greenhouse plants, but require to be 
well grown and managed, as they are so sub¬ 
ject to red spider ; they require plenty of pot- 
room and waterings with manure-water, and 
