22 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 11, 1886. 
that is formed, that is, provided buds appear on 
the end of those shoots. If the plants have been 
grown without a check, I have known them to break 
side shoots as many as three times before the terminal 
bud comes. If you want a medium sized compact bloom 
take the terminal, but if you want a large flower take 
the crown bud which comes previous to the terminal 
bud. I have known many instances in which early 
propagated plants have given some trouble in this 
respect. The only way I can find out of the difficulty, 
if the buds are early, is to take out the crown bud and 
secure the terminal bud. 
The Time to Disbud. 
To make myself clear, I would remark that the last 
week in August is early enough for the generality of 
blooms to be secured ; but for the late varieties, such as 
F. A. Davis, Eve, Lucifer, and others of that class, 
these should be taken the first week in August, that is, 
if they are wanted in bloom with the others ; and, if 
well treated, will produce a very large flower. Where 
a bud shows itself say, in the third week of August, and 
it is seemingly perfect in all its parts, it is a good plan 
to keep that bud ; I am now alluding to show blooms, 
but in stopping the plant take off two shoots, and allow 
one to grow alongside the bud for a while : if the bud 
developes itself satisfactorily and requires the full flow 
of sap into it, this shoot should be taken away. 
Another very good plan is to work the process of dis¬ 
budding on a sort of compromise principle, but by 
adopting the plan just alluded to, as by doing so you 
thus secure two chances, whereas if all the shoots were 
removed you would only have one on each stem. Now, 
suppose we take a plant having three stems, by the end 
of August, or early in September, from each of these 
three stems three more will branch out, making nine 
in all; at the point of these stems will be produced the 
buds, five to each point. If all were allowed to remain 
some would not be even and well finished ; therefore 
the best plan is to reduce the number of shoots to six, 
wdiich is two to each stem, and as soon as ever the buds 
are formed look them over, and with a small pointed 
knife or pin, remove all except the one you wish to 
retain from each shoot. The sooner this process is 
performed the better after the buds are formed, for the 
finer will those become that are left on the plant. To 
have a stand of even blooms on the exhibition table, 
where you have a collection of small and large blooming 
varieties, a little judgment is required in choosing the 
proper buds from each plant, ever remembering that 
the largest variety requires the medium bud, while the 
smaller kind require the larger bud left on the plant, 
and the best treatment. As a rule the largest bud will 
be found in the centre of the buds formed at the points, 
while the medium sized bud will be found on the side 
of the centre bud at the end of the shoots. 
Individual Characteristics. 
It is also necessary in disbudding to keep in view, as 
much as possible, the individual characteristics of each 
variety. As for instance, White Globe and Golden Jardin 
des Plantes, both grand old varieties and well adapted 
for exhibition, are better taken somewhat earlier if they 
are to be had in bloom with some of the others for that 
purpose, that there might be an uniformity in their 
blooms ; mistakes are often made in disbudding which 
need not occur if it be borne in mind that it is not the 
number of breaks on a plant that has anything to do 
with the quality of the flower, but catching the bud at 
the proper time. Those who grow flowers for market 
of course adopt the principle of culture which pays them 
best. The Japanese section is becoming more popular 
every year, and ought to be grown by every one who 
takes a delight in Chrysanthemums, their colours being 
so bright and distinct ; these can be grown and dis¬ 
budded so as to make some splendid heads of bloom. 
Many of this class can be grown on the axil bud system. 
If very large heads of bloom are required and they are 
wanted to bloom early, such sorts as Triomphe du 
Nord, James Salter, Elaine and several others, that is 
providing their stems are thinned to about four or five 
to a plant, and the side shoots that grow up the stems 
be taken out, as these will rob the buds. Much more 
might be said about these useful autumn flowers, but if 
I have said anything helpful to anyone, I shall feel 
amply rewarded for any trouble I may have taken. If 
it were needful a few varieties might be mentioned, but 
as the family is so very extensive and numerous, and 
the catalogues are within the reach of everybody, I will 
omit mention of any.— E. Austin. 
THE CULTIVATION OF THE 
SHOW PELARGONIUM. * 
The Pelargonium, as we know it now, is a much 
superior subject to the Pelargonium of our grandfathers, 
and of the old Cape species there are very few in 
cultivation in gardens as compaied with olden times. 
The Pelargonium can be raised or propagated by means 
of seeds, cuttings, or in the case of the tuberous-rooted 
sorts by pieces of the roots cut in lengths, but the most 
common way is to grow them from cuttings. For 
convenience I will divide my paper into sections, and 
the first I shall devote to the soil or compost. There 
is a great diversity of opinion as to which is the best 
sort of compost to grow the plant in, some of the 
champion growers using one kind with success, and 
some another. I will, with your indulgence, enumerate 
two different examples as practised by two old and 
successful exhibitors, viz, Mr. Cock, of Chiswick, and 
Mr. Cattleugh, of Chelsea. 
Mr. Cock recommended good turfy loam, pulled or 
chopped to pieces, and mixed with short stable litter 
that had been previously saturated with manure-water. 
This was thrown into a heap to ferment, and covered 
over with slates or tiles to prevent the ammonia from 
escaping. After laying for three weeks it was mixed 
with the loam in equal parts, and again thrown into a 
heap, and covered over with more loam. It was then 
allowed to remain for twelve months, and when the 
time for using it came round, an equal part of leaf-soil, 
and one peck of silver sand was added to the barrowful 
of compost—rather a long but, no doubt, a good process 
of preparation. Mr. Cattleugh recommended two 
barrowfuls of good maiden loam, one barrowful of cow- 
dung, three years old, and one peck of silver sand, 
adding for the final shift one peck of Bone dust. 
I will now state as near as possible the compost I use 
wfith, as some of you are aware, a fair amount of success, 
viz., two parts of as good loam as I can get, one part of 
leaf-soil, a portion of old Mushroom-bed manure, with 
sufficient sand to keep the whole porous. 
Propagation. 
Propagation by seeds is only practised by those who 
wish to secure new varieties, either as a hobby, or for 
commercial purposes. The seed should be sown as soon 
as it is ripe in soil a little more sandy and finer than is 
used for general purposes. Cover the seeds slightly, and 
place them in a gentle heat until they germinate, 
afterwards removing them to a shelf near the glass to 
keep them from becoming drawn, and prick them off 
into 60-sized pots when large enough. The subsequent 
cultivation will be the same as recommended for cut- 
tings. Some growers do not take their cuttings until 
after the wood has become ripe, and they cut the old 
plants down ; but this I believe to be a great mistake. 
The latter end of June, or the beginning of July, in my 
opinion, is the best time, choosing sturdy short-jointed 
shoots about 3 ins. long. Place them either singly in 
small pots, or five or six round the edge of 48-sized pots, 
using the same sort of compost as recommended for 
seed sowing. Place the cuttings on a shelf, or in a 
frame, with the exception of the fancy varieties, which 
should have a little more sand and a slight amount of 
heat, this class being more tender and difficult to grow. 
Most of you will have noticed that by continual 
watering some of the roots will become bare and 
exposed to the light ; these will, if in a moist and 
humid atmosphere, throw up suckers similar to the 
Chrysanthemum, and which may with ease be taken off 
and potted, but I do not recommend this mode of pro¬ 
pagation, simply because they are more liable to sport. 
By the beginning of September the cuttings or seedlings 
should be well rooted or established, and should be 
potted off, or if struck in single pots be repotted into 
small 48’s ; they should again be placed in a house or 
frame near the glass (and I may here say that the 
Pelargoniums should at all times, until they come into 
flower, be kept as near the glass as possible) and kept 
close for a few days until they have taken to the new 
soil ; after this they should receive an abundance of 
air so as to keep them dwarf and sturdy. A 5 in. or 6 
in. pot is large enough to bloom one year old plauts in, 
and they should receive their final shift at the latter 
end of January, or in the beginning of February. The 
plants, through the winter, should be kept in a house 
*Read by Mr. Robert Hall, gardener to R. W. Garland, Esq., 
Storth Holme, Ranmoor, before the members of the Sheffield and 
Hallamsliire Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society, August 
11th, 1SSG. 
from which the frost can be excluded, but by no means 
must they be kept too warm—a temperature of from 40° 
to io° at night, with a slight increase in the day time is 
sufficient. During the months of February and March 
it is very beneficial to close the house at three p.m., 
and syringe overhead. 
By this time the pots will be full of roots, and they 
should receive assistance in the form of occasional ap¬ 
plications of manure water, or what I prefer better, 
a dusting of Standen’s manure, say a thimble-full to 
a 6-in. pot, given about three times during the growing 
season. A little of this manure is also very beneficial 
mixed with the compost for the final potting. 
Stopping and Training. 
"We will now for a few moments turn our attention 
to stopping and training, this depends entirely upon 
when you want the plants to bloom, and what size 
yo.u require the plants to be. If required to bloom in 
June they should be stopped in March for the last 
time, and in April to bloom in July, as it takes about 
three months to get them into bloom after stopping. 
As the young shoots grow and the flower spikes appear, 
they should be nicely staked, so as to keep the sappy 
growths from breaking. As soon as they come into 
bloom they should either be well shaded from the 
bright rays of the sun, or removed into a cool con¬ 
servatory, as nothing suffers sooner from the sun 
whilst in bloom, than the Pelargonium 
After Flowering. 
We will now consider the after management of the 
plants. As soon as they have done blooming they 
should be put in the open air, where they will get as 
much sun as possible and very little water, so as to 
well mature and ripen the growths. They should 
remain thus until the wood is hard, then be cut down 
to within about two eyes of the old wood, and be 
placed in a cold frame. Here they should remain 
until they have “broken nicely,” or, in other words, 
made new shoots about 1 in. in length, then, if possible, 
they should be removed into a house where a drier 
atmosphere can be obtained than in cold frames. If 
all is going on well the roots should now have become 
active, and the plants must be taken out of the old 
pots and the soil reduced (according to the activity 
of the roots), so that you can repot into the same size, 
or a size less pot. 
Some growers recommend the entire removal of all 
soils from the roots, but it is a plan I never adopt, 
unless the soil is very sour or the roots are in a 
stagnant condition. After removing all the soil, several 
varieties refuse to take to the new compost, and gradu¬ 
ally die away. But if you have to resort to this 
practice, it is a good plan to wash the roots in luke 
warm water, and whilst damp to dust them well with 
silver sand, this will promote a reaction in the roots, 
and cause them to make a mass of young fibre. If 
convenient, they will now do better if kept a little 
closer for a fortnight, so as to get them well established 
before winter sets in. Great care is also very necessary 
at this time in watering. 
Potting Old Plants. 
I think a few words now about the final potting of 
old plants will not be out of place. First, what size 
is the best to finish large or exhibition plants in ? a 7 
in. or an S in. pot is quite large enough for any plant; 
I have seen excellent specimens 3 ft. across exhibited 
in London, in that size. Secondly, the compost 
must be a little rougher and have a little more manure 
added, either cow or horse manure, or some of the 
artificial manures now in use. Thirdly, be sure to 
pot moderately firm, the water will then not pass so 
quickly away ; at the same time use clean pots, and 
crock well, so as to prevent the soil from getting 
soddened. Training and stopping plants for exhibition 
must be rigorously attended to, beginning by 
placing neat stakes close to the rim of the pot, and in 
as near a horizontal line as possible, so as to get a 
good foundation for the bottom, it is then a very easy 
matter to fill up the centre. In stopping, you must use 
your own judgment, not forgetting that nearly three 
months is required from the last stopping to get them 
into bloom. Great care is always necessary in 
watering, as in bright hot weather they will take any 
quantity, still, if the weather sets in cloudy, wet and 
dull, and the plants are very wet, much of the foliage 
will turn yellow and eventually fall off ; a little fire- 
heat, with sufficient air, will soon remedy this evil. 
