July 2, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
693 
The best time to shift them on into larger-sized 
pots is when their present ones are almost filled with 
roots. I prefer to give them a double shift, and use 
the same compost as before. When from 4 in. to 
6 in. high, they should be stopped, and the same 
treatment aflorded to all side growths as soon as they 
attain a similar length. Any bloom trusses that may 
appear should be picked out at once ; the object be¬ 
ing to get a thoroughly good basis for flowering next 
spring. Plants that were struck earlier than this 
date, and have grown well, will require a second 
shift towards the end of the summer. Those struck 
now will not need it; it being much best to secure 
pots well filled with roots before placing the plants 
in their winter quarters, when they should occupy a 
cool, airy, and light house. 
Do not encourage growth during winter, and keep 
the plants fairly dry without causing them to shrivel 
in any way. Early in February when the days are 
well turned and the sun is fast gaining power, they 
may receive their final potting, and be placed in a 
temperature of 50° to 6o°. About the middle of 
March the shoots should be stopped for the last time 
previous to flowering, and weak liquid manure 
clean before they come into flower, as to fumigate at 
that time is disastrous, all of the blooms falling off 
wholesale. Pelargoniums will last much longer in 
flower if kept in as cool a house as possible after 
their first blossoms expand. 
When the plants have finished flowering, stand 
them out of doors in some open and sunny position, 
keeping them rather dry at the roots and so assisting 
the ripening process previous to pruning them back. 
This should be done about a month after they have 
been placed out of doors. Sprinkle them overhead 
occasionally after pruning and give them a fair 
supply of water at the roots after the first week. 
When the growth is fairly started again, turn them 
out of their pots, shake away as much of the soil as 
possible, prune back any coarse straggly roots, and 
re-pot into small sized pots, using the same kind of 
compost as before. Encourage growth, pinch back 
the young shoots, and endeavour to obtain pots well 
filled with roots, so that they may be removed to 
their winter quarters and treated the same as before. 
Some of the fancy varieties do not possess a strong 
constitution, and this may be remedied by grafting 
them on to some of the stronger growing large 
25th and 26th of May last. The exhibitors were 
Messrs. Linden, Leopold Park, Brussels, who showed 
a fine plant consisting of about fourteen shoots or 
branches. The leaves are lanceolate, arranged in 
two ranks upon the stiffish ascending or arching 
branches, and vary from 6 in. and upwards in length 
The central portion of each leaf is of a dark olive 
green, more or less marked with grey spots and lines, 
but while quite young this portion is shaded with 
purple and rose ; on each side of this is a broad, ir¬ 
regular, silvery-grey band, on the outside of which 
and along the margin is another olive-green band 
variously marked and striated transversely with grey. 
The native home of the plant is in Central Peru, 
from whence it was introduced in 1890 by Messrs. 
Linden. It thrives well under stove treatment, but 
whether it will succeed in a greenhouse remains to 
be proved, but the probabilities are against it. The 
habit of the plant is, however, very neat, quite differ¬ 
ent from that of the common and well-known trailing 
species, so that it is well adapted for pot culture, and 
will probably at no distant date become popular in 
this country. The specific name refers to the Queen 
of the Belgians, after whom it is named. While 
Tradescantia Regin.e. 
applied as soon as the roots are well established in 
the new soil. Still keep them close to the glass, and 
give them an occasional sprinkle overhead during the 
early part of the day. Some growers do not advise 
this, being afraid of the water accumulating in the 
depressed portion of the foliage and causing it to 
damp off. I do not think there is much fear of this, 
if syringed upon the mornings of bright days, and am 
certain it helps the plants considerably. Do not 
crowd them, and afford free ventilation whenever the 
outside air is at all suitable. 
It is during March and April that the green-fly is 
so troublesome to the Pelargonium, and this must 
be kept down from the very first appearance of these 
little pests. If allowed to infest the plants, their 
deposit (or ''honey-dew ” as it is sometimes styled) 
will cause dust and dirt to stick to the foliage ; this 
is covered with minute hairs, and it is almost 
impossible to clean the leaves when they have once 
been allowed to get dirty. Fumigation with tobacco 
smoke is the best means of ridding the plants of 
green-fly, and if this be done in time and upon two 
consecutive evenings, it is generally effectual in 
clearing them off. Be certain to have your plants 
flowered kinds. The present is also an excellent 
time for this operation, and almost any style of 
grafting will be suitable. Unfortunately it is the 
very best varieties of the fancies that are so tender 
in constitution and are liable to droop oft during the 
dull winter months. Whip, or side grafting, is the 
method 1 adopt for these tender and most beautiful 
kinds. Keep them close for a time after grafting, 
and shaded from direct sunshine. The earlier 
cuttings are struck, and the forwarder they are got 
before winter, the sooner will they flower during the 
following spring ; indeed, with a little care in work¬ 
ing them along in successional batches, they may be 
had in flower from February until the end of the 
present month. The quantity of sterling varieties 
is so immense that I must refrain from giving a list, 
merely remarking that there can be no excuse for 
not possessing a few good kinds of these handsome 
flowering greenhouse plants.— Experience. 
TRADESCANTIA REGIN^E 
We are now in a position to give an illustration of 
this beautiful new Tradescantia, which made its first 
appearance in England at the Temple Show on the 
walking through the houses in which it was grown 
she expressed her admiration of the plant, and it was 
afterwards named T. Reginae in compliment to her. 
-- 
NIEREMBERGIA FRUTESCENS. 
The typical form of this plant has pale blue flowers 
fading to white towards the margins, but a pale 
variety may be seen in the nursery of Messrs. J. 
Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, having large white 
flowers with violet rays at the base. The stems are 
generally about 18 in. high, densely clothed with 
narrow, flax-like leaves, and much branched, bearing 
numerous flowers which are larger than those of 
N. gracilis, to which the plant may be compared. 
It is hardier than the former, however, as it may be 
kept in a cold frame all the winter, and some say 
that it is quite hardy. Several other plants coming 
from Chili, the native home of N. frutescens, prove 
hardy in this country, so that there seems no reason 
to doubt that the latter may be turned to good 
account in sheltered situations and well-drained 
soil. The quantity of flowers it produces and their 
size combine to make the plant worthy of the 
cultivator's care. 
