JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  15,  1900. 
S.uppUm.tnl  to 
230 
Zonal  Pelargonmii(s. 
There  are  two  methods  of  establishing  a  collection  of  single  and 
double  Zonal  Pelargoniums.  The  better  system,  where  there  is  no 
stock  of  gocd  varieties  to  fall  back  upon,  is  to  consult  the  catalogues 
of  those  nurserymen  who  cultivate  the  best  and  newest  varieties,  as 
new  and  improved  sorts  are  constantly  being  added  to  the  cream  of 
the  older  varieties.  Good  varieties  are  as  easily  cultivated  as 
indifferent  ones,  hence  when  they  are  cultivated  in  quantity  for 
decoration  and  cutting,  also  bedding,  endeavours  should  be  made  to 
keep  up  to  date.  There  is  considerable  interest  attached  to  the 
growing  of  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  and  few  cultivators  of  plants  care  to 
be  without  them  during  the  summer  months.  Many  of  the  varieties 
are  adapted  for  blooming  in  winter,  though  not  with  the  same 
freedom  as  in  summer;  but  to  have  them  at  their  best  during  the 
dull  months  flowering  must  be  restricted  in  summer,  and  a  regular 
heat  of  50°  and  a  dry  atmosphere  accorded  between  December  and 
March. 
Plants  which  are  procured  now  may  be  had  in  thumb  pots,  or 
obtained  as  rooted  cuttings  out  of  {jots.  In  the  latter  case  pot  them 
when  received  in  a  light  sandy  mixture  in  the  small  pots  referred  to, 
placing  them  near  the  glass  in  a  heated  house.  If  moist  soil  is  used 
in  potting  light  sprinklings  of  tepid  water  maybe  used  for  a  few 
days,  and  then  afford  a  good  watering.  Ecoting  will  proceed,  and 
soon  fill  the  pots  with  roots,  when  a  shift  may  be  given  to  the  next 
size  pot.  The  plants  can  have  cooler  treatment  after  they  commence 
to  root  in  the  small  pots. 
Cuttings  can  be  procured  as  well  as  rooted  plants,  or  cuttings  may 
be  readily  obtained,  perhaps,  from  tall  plants  of  good  varieties. 
Vigorous,  firm,  short-joinied  cuttings  are  the  easiest  to  root.  Their 
length  may  be  3  or  4  inches.  Cut  the  base  squarely  below  a  joint, 
and  remove  the  lowest  leaves.  Should  the  cuttings  be  soft  and  sappy, 
owing  to  better  not  being  procurable,  let  the  base  dry  an  hour  or  two 
before insertion.  When  growing  them  for  pot  culture  insert 
the  cuttings  singly  in  thumb  pots,  using  turfy  learn,  leaf  soil,  and 
plenty  of  sand.  Insert  the  cuttings  firmly  in  the  centre  of  the  pots  ; 
several  cuttings  may  also  be  placed  round  the  edges  of  3-inch  pots. 
This  is  a  much  readier  method,  and  with  care  in  dividing  at  the  time 
ot  potting  little  if  any  check  is  given.  After  inserting  the  cuttings 
water  them  in  with  a  rosed  can,  and  stand  the  pots  on  a  warm,  dry 
shelf  in  the  full  sun,  applying  no  direct  shade  to  prevent  flagging,  as 
is  the  case  with  the  majority  of  cuttings.  The  lower  leaves  may  flag, 
but  the  central  parts  usually  remain  fresh.  As  the  soil  dries  on  the 
surface  sprinkle  the  cuttings  lightly  with  the  syringe.  Heavy  water¬ 
ings  are  not  reeded,  and  may,  if  given,  sour  the  soil  and  prevent 
rooting.  When  fairly  well  rooted  transfer  the  plants  to  cooler  and 
airier  quarters,  as  it  is  essential  they  make  a  short-jointed  steady 
growth. 
On  the  pots  becoming  filled  with  roots  move  the  single-rooted 
cuttings  to  34-inch  pots,  and  in  the  case  of  several  cuttings  in  one 
pot  divide  these  singly,  and  put  also  in  2^  to  3^-inch  pots.  The 
compost  may  consist  of  turfy  loam,  one-fifth  of  decayed  manure  and 
sand,  potting  firmly.  The  situation  best  adapted  for  the  plants  at 
this  stage  is  a  shelf  in  the  greenhouse.  Water  carefully  at  first,  until 
the  roots  begin  to  work  freely,  when  more  water  may  be  given,  never 
allowing  the  soil  to  become  dry. 
The  next  potting  should  be  to  5-inch  pots,  similar  compost  to  that 
previously  recommended  being  employed.  Drain  the  pots  well,  and 
over  the  rough  parts  of  the  drainage,  which  may  consist  of  moss,  bits 
of  turf,  or  riddlings  from  the  compost,  sprinkle  a  dusting  of  soot. 
This  will  assist  in  preventing  worms  enterins  the  compost.  Frame 
treatment  is  best  for  them  at  this  stage,  standing  the  pots  on  a  moist 
base.  The  frame  can  be  kept  closed  lor  a  few  days  to  encourage  fresh 
rooting,  after  which  admit  air  freely  and  expose  fully  on  every 
favourable  occasion.  In  July,  August,  and  part  of  September  out¬ 
door  treatment  may  be  given  them  entirely  if  intended  for  winter 
blooming,  removing  all  flower  stems-  until  September.  After  the 
plants  have  been  placed  in  5-inch  pots  those  not  wanted  for  winter 
may  be  allowed  to  bloom  as  they  will.  During  August  liquid  manure 
can  be  beneficially  applied  once  or  twice  a  week  to  well  rooted  plants 
intendea  for  winter  blooming.  The  points  of  the  shoots  nipped  out 
several  times  during  the  early  stages  of  growth  will  produce  a  bushy 
habit  of  plant. 
A  few  good  varieties  among  the  singles  are  Kev.  Dr.  Morris, 
Brilliant,  Stella  Massey,  IMr.  W.  Brown,  Agnes,  Swanley  Single 
White,  Henry  Jacoby,  Dr.  McDonald,  Herrick,  Delicata,  Lord 
Wolseley,  Cassiope,  Phyllis,  Mrs.  J.  E.  Taylor,  Albion,  Niagara.  In 
the  double  class  tbe  following  are  excellent  : — F.  V.  Kaspail  Improved. 
Madame  Leon  Dalloy,  Magenta  King,  Gloire  de  France,  Madame 
Rosain,  Swanley  Double  White,  and  Pearl.  King  of  [Denmark,, 
also  known  as  Beautd  Poitevine,  and  Mdlle.  Tririe,  are  good^winter 
bloomers. 
It  is  important  that  cuttings  of  bedding  Pelargoniums  in  [pots  or 
boxes  should  now  be  transferred  singly  to  pots,  4  inches  diameter  being 
a  suitable  size  for  strong  cuttings,  3-inch  size  for  those  with  a  lesser 
quantity  of  roots.  After  potting  place  in  a  little  heat  and  inoisture 
to  restart  them  into  growth,  but  when  once  again  making  roots  cooler 
positions  must  be  found  for  them,  eventually  placing  them  in  frames 
on  a  moist  base.  Afford  due  supplies  of  water  and  abundance  of 
air  on  favourable  occasions.  Protect  the  glass  at  night  when  frosts 
prevail  in  late  April  or  May.  This’ treatment  will  gradually  harden 
them  to  the  open  air. — E.  D.  S. 
Tabernsemontanas. 
TABERNiEMONTANA  corunaria  flore-pleno  is  a  beautiful  evergreen 
flowering  shrub  which  at  one  time  most  deservedly  occupied  a  very 
prominent  position  amongst  stove  plants.  It  does  not,  however,  appear 
to  be  so  much  sppreciated  at  the  present  time  as  its  merits  deserve. 
In  habit  and  character  it  is  very  similar  to  the  much-prized  Gardenia. 
Its  flowers,  which  are  freely  produced  from  the  forks  of  the  branches 
of  from  ten  to  twelve  in  a  cluster,  are  pure  white  and  fragrant. 
Having  been  very  successful  in  the  cultivation  of  this  plant  I  will 
relate  my  experience,  trusting  it  may  be  of  interest  to  the  readers  of  the 
Journal. 
Cuttings  of  half-ripened  wood  may  be  inserted  any  time  during 
the  spring  or  summer,  hut  I  much  prefer  the  spring.  Two  or  three 
cuttings  can  be  placed  in  a  GO-size  pot,  afterwards  plunging  in  a 
good  bottom  heat.  When  rooted  the  young  plants  must  be  removed 
from  the  frame  and  gradually  inured  to  air,  afterwards  placing  them 
singly  in  small  pots.  Hse  a  compost  of  good  lumpy  loam  and  fibrous 
peat  in  equal  proportions,  one-third  partly  decayed  leaf  soil  with  a 
little  dried  cow  manure,  and  a  fair  proportion  of  sharp  silver  sand. 
Before  the  roots  become  much  restricted  for  room  the  plants  should 
have  liberal  shifts  as  these  are  requisite,  for  on  no  account  must  they 
be  allowed  to  become  root-bound  or  they  will  quickly  present  a 
stunted  ap|iearance.  The  process  of  watering  must  be  very  judiciously 
performed  till  the  roots  have  taken  full  possession  of  the  soil,  after 
which  water  may  be  applied  with  greater  freedom.  Where  prac¬ 
ticable  I  recommend  a  stock  of  young  plants  to  be  raised  every  two 
or  three  years,  as  by  this  method  much  better  flowers  are  produced 
than  it  is  possible  to  obtain  from  older  plants. 
Having  so  far  dealt  with  the  cultivation  of  young  plants  I  will  now 
make  a  few  remarks  in  reference  to  old  ones  ;  for  although,  as  before 
mentioned,  the  flowers  are  not,  so  large  as  on  younger  plants,  they  are 
nevertheless  piroduced  in  much  greater  numbers,  thereby  making  them 
indispensable  where  a  large  supply  has  to  be  maintained.  Plants  that 
are  too  lirge  for  general  requirements  should  be  kept  rather  dry  for 
two  or  three  days  after  flowering,  after  which  they  may  be  pruned 
back  to  the  old  wood.  No  fear  need  be  entertained  in  reference  to 
over-pruning,  as  I  know  of  no  hardwooded  plant  that  recovers  itself 
after  severe  pruning  more  readily  than  the  Tabernsemontana.  The 
plants  should  be  liberally  syringed  two  or  three  times  a  day  till  the 
young  growths  appear,  at  which  stage  it  will  be  necessary  to  repot 
them.  Remove  some  of  the  old  soil  from  the  ball,  afterwards  placing 
the  pJants  in  the  same  sized  pot  as  it  was  previously  in,  using  a 
compost  similar  to  that  above  recommended. 
There  are  other  kinds  of  Tabernmmontanas,  one  of  the  best  being 
T.  cymosa  flore-pleno.  This  variety,  it  appears,  was  originally 
obtained  from  a  Belgian  garden,  and  bv  some  growers  is  considered 
superior  to  the  double  T.  coronaria.  It  is  occasionally  offered  in 
trade  catalogues  as  T.  camassa,  and  is  said  to  be  more  profuse  in 
blooming  than  the  first  mentioned  and  more  generally  grown  form. 
Taberntemontanas  are  subject  at  all  stages  of  their  growth  to  the 
attacks  of  various  insect  pests,  mealy  bug  being  especially  trouble¬ 
some.  A  sfiarp  watch  must,  therefore,  be  kept,  and  upon  their  first 
appearance  immediate  steps  should  be  taken  to  insure  their  removal, 
for  if  once  this  pest  is  allowed  to  become  thoroughly  established  it 
will  be  found  very  difficult  to  eradicate.  One  of  the  best  insecticides 
that  I  have  tried  for  the  removal  of  mealy  bug  is  petroleum.  This 
should  be  used  in  proportion  of  a  wineglassful  to  3  gallons  of  water, 
the  whole  being  thoroughly  mixed  by  filling  the  syringe  two  or  three 
times,  and  returning  its  contents  back  into  the  can,  repeating  this 
operation  at  about  every  six  or  eight  syringefuls.  If  this  is  performed, 
say,  once  a  fortnight,  and  the  plants  syringed  twice  a  day  with  clean 
water,  it  would  do  much  towards  preventing  the  attacks  of  insects, 
and  at  the  same  time  be  very  beneficial  to  the  growth  of  the 
plant. — G.  P. 
