296 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  2,  1898. 
SHOW  PELARGONIUMS. 
This  section  of  the  Pelargoniums  may  safely  be  placed  amongst 
the  mo3t  useful  of  cool  house  flowering  plants  during  the  late 
spring  and  early  summer  months.  In  many  small  gardens,  how¬ 
ever,  they  are  either  not  grown  at  all  or  are  very  badly  treated . 
In  some  cases  the  excuse  is,  they  are  so  dirty,  we  cannot  do  with 
them.”  Pelargoniums  and  dirt  are  no  more  inseparable  than  are 
say  Grape  Vines  and  red  spider.  I  remember  seeing,  a  year  or  two 
ago,  a  fairly  large  collection  of  show  Pelargoniums  standing  under 
the  shelter  of  a  Pear  tree,  the  plants  just  breaking  when  they 
should  have  been  furnished  with  young  growths  several  inches  in 
length,  and  nearly  ready  for  placing  in  their  flowering  pots.  Plants 
so  neglected  can  never  repay  the  grower  for  even  the  little  atten¬ 
tion  he  bestows  on  them.  If  no  better  treatment  than  this  can  be 
accorded  throw  the  plants  away,  for  they  can  bring  neither  pleasure 
to  the  owner  nor  credit  to  the  grower. 
For  small  conservatories  I  find  one-year-old  plants  give  the 
best  results,  and  any  time  during  April  will  be  found  suitable  to 
take  the  cuttings.  Where  a  few  older  plants  are  grown  sufficient 
side  shoots  can  generally  be  spared  for  the  purpose.  These  are 
placed  singly  in  small  pots  in  a  compost  of  two  parts  of  loam  and 
one  of  leaf  mould,  with  a  good  proportion  of  sand.  If  the  cuttings 
are  taken  from  vigorous  plants  with  large  leaves  it  is  advisable  to 
place  a  small  stake  to  each,  thus  keeping  it  steady  in  the  pot. 
The  pots  containing  the  cuttings  are  plunged  in  line  ashes  in  a 
propagating  case  set  over  the  hot-water  pipes  in  a  midseason  vinery, 
the  slight  bottom  heat  materially  assisting  the  process  of  rooting, 
the  case  being  shaded  and  kept  sufficiently  close  to  prevent  the 
leaves  flagging.  When  rooted  the  plants  are  gradually  hardened 
and  transferred  to  cooler  quarters.  When  the  small  pots  are  full 
of  roots  a  shift  is  given  to  pots  3|  inches  in  diameter,  using  the 
same  kind  of  compost  as  before  with  the  addition  of  a  little  decayed 
manure.  At  this  time  they  may  be  placed  in  a  cold  frame  in  an 
open  situation,  where  they  remain  all  the  summer,  attention  being 
paid  to  watering  and  ventilation,  with  a  gentle  syringing  in  the 
afternoon  of  each  fine  day. 
After  a  few  inches  of  growth  have  been  made  pinch  out  the 
point  of  the  shoot  at  say  every  fourth  joint  till  the  third  week  in 
December,  when  the  last  stopping  should  take  place.  When  the 
3 inch  pots  are  full  of  roots  a  shift  is  given  into  pots  5^  inches  in 
diameter,  using  the  same  compost  as  before,  and  potting  firmly. 
As  growth  proceeds  tie  out  the  shoots,  as  this  materially  strengthens 
the  plants,  crowded  growths  soon  losing  their  lower  leaves,  and 
becoming  an  easy  prey  to  green  fly. 
As  the  cold  nights  of  the  autumn  come  on  it  is  not  well  to  leave 
the  plants  in  frames  too  long,  as  a  cool  airy  house  is  much  better 
for  them.  For  want  of  a  better  place  our  plants  are  removed  to  a 
midseason  vinery  late  in  September,  and  placed  as  near  the  glass  as 
possible  in  the  lightest  part  of  the  house,  which  happens  to  be  also 
the  warmest,  and  there  they  remain  for  the  winter.  The  house 
contains,  besides  the  Pelargoniums,  a  miscellaneous  collection  of 
softwooded  and  bulbous  plants,  and  as  some,  such  as  Freesias, 
Arum  Lilies,  and  Narcissi,  are  required  in  bloom  a*  soon  as  we  can 
get  them,  the  house  is  kept  quite  as  warm  as  is  good  for  the  Vines. 
The  slight  heat  appears,  however,  to  be  rather  beneficial  than 
otherwise  to  the  Pelargoniums.  It  is  generally  thought  that  any 
heat  more  than  sufficient  to  exclude  frost  will  predispose  them  to 
an  attack  of  green  fly  ;  ours  have  not  had  a  single  fly  on  them  all 
the  winter,  nor  have  they  aDy  now. 
By  the  middle  of  October  they  are  ready  for  their  flowering 
pots,  which  are  not  less  than  7  inches  in  diameter — for  a  few  of  the 
strongest  1  inch  larger  is  sometimes  used  ;  and  as  they  have  to  remain 
in  these  pots  till  flowering  is  over  the  work  must  be  thoroughly 
done.  With  regard  to  drainage  there  should  be  no  mistake  at  this 
time,  as  abundance  of  water  will  be  required  when  the  spring 
comes,  and  the  pots  are  crowded  with  roots.  Over  the  hole  place 
one  good- sized  hollow  crock,  for  all  the  remainder  soft  burnt  brick 
is  better  than  ordinary  crocks.  For  compost  use  sound  loam,  with 
a  seventh  of  manure  and  enough  sand  to  keep  the  mass  porous  ;  if 
the  loam  is  very  heavy  leaf  mould  may  be  added  with  advantage. 
Firm  potting  is  essential  to  success,  and  if  the  soil  is  in  right 
condition  with  regard  to  moisture,  and  not  of  too  adhesive  a  nature, 
it  will  not  be  easy  to  pot  too  firmly.  The  pots  should  not  be  filled 
within  1£  inch  of  the  top,  which  will  allow  half  an  inch  of  top¬ 
dressing  to  be  applied  in  the  spring. 
After  potting  no  water  will  be  required  for  a  few  days  ;  a 
gentle  syringing  early  in  the  afternoon  will,  however,  be  beneficial. 
When  water  is  required  give  a  good  soaking,  and  after  this  further 
supplies  whenever  required.  From  this  time  till  the  spring  the 
main  thing  is  never  to  allow  the  plants  to  suffer  from  want  of  water, 
or  the  growths  to  crowd  each  other,  but  let  every  leaf  have  room  to 
develop  ;  in  short,  treat  the  plants  so  that  no  check  is  expe  ienced. 
By  the  end  of  February  feeding  must  be  thought  of  ;  scratch  over 
the  surface  of  the  soil,  give  a  dusting  with  one  of  the  many 
concentrated  manures,  and  over  this  half  an  inch  of  good  loam  ; 
this  will  start  the  plants  into  renewed  activity.  Then  apply  liquid 
manure,  weak  at  first,  once  a  week,  increasing  the  strength  and  the 
frequency  of  the  doses  as  the  sun  gains  power,  till,  as  the  blooming 
season  approaches,  it  is  given  at  every  other  watering.  As  the 
shoots  lengthen  each  must  be  supported  by  a  neat  stake. 
With  increasing  length  of  days  and  sunshine  abundance  of 
water  will  be  required.  The  plants  will  be  all  the  better  if  placed 
where  ail  the  possible  sunshine  reaches  them,  and  also  the  fresh 
air,  excluding  cold  draughts.  A  vigorous  daily  syringing  will  be  of 
great  benefit  till  the  flowers  begin  to  expand,  when,  of  course,  it 
must  cease.  If  the  plants  can  be  stood  on  a  moisture-holding 
surface  it  will  be  preferable  to  an  open  woodwork  staging  ;  if  only 
the  latter  is  available  a  covering  of  mats  or  sacking  will  make  the 
atmosphere  more  congenial  to  the  plants.  Should  a  single  green  fly 
make  its  appearance  fumigate  at  once  ;  but  with  good  all-round 
treatment  the  pest  is  not  much  to  be  feared. — North  Yorks. 
PEACH  AND  NECTARINE  TREES  CASTING 
BLOSSOM  BUDS. 
Every  year,  and  in  all  gardens  where  a  variety  of  Peach  and 
Nectarine  trees  are  grown  under  glass,  a  certain  number  of  apparent 
blossom  buds  are  cast  when  the  time  arrives  for  their  development 
into  flowers.  The  buds,  falling  and  retained,  are  alike  in  outward 
conformation  and  general  appearance  up  to  this  period,  when  there 
is  seen  to  be  a  difference.  Some — those  containing  the  parts  of 
the  ultimate  bios  oms — swelling,  the  scales  of  the  buds  parting  and 
disclosing  a  rounded  knob  of  silken  down,  through  which  anon  the 
petals  peep,  then  the  stamens  with  their  anthers  bearing  the  golden 
life-continuance  dust,  and  finally  the  pistjl  in  the  centre  with  its 
naked  stigma  at  the  apex  and  ovary  with  ovule  at  the  bas3. 
Others — those  containing  nothing  but  indefinite  and  defective 
parts,  no  ovary,  stamens,  and  petals,  with  calyx  surrounding  the 
ovule — remain  stationary,  pointed  as  when  at  rest,  and,  as  abortions 
are  by  Nature,  finally  thrown  or  cast  off  by  the  ascending  sap. 
Every  cultivator  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines  under  glass  is  quite 
familiar  with  bud-casting,  and  looks  upon  it  as  a  certainty  of  the 
recurring  seasons.  In  some  years  it  is  les3  than  in  others,  while 
in  not  a  few  instances  the  buds  are  cast  in  such  quantity  as  to  give 
rise  to  great  anxiety  as  to  the  prospect  of  a  crop  of  fruit.  Some 
trees,  quite  independent  of  variety,  are  more  prone  to  cast  their 
buds  than  others  under  the  same  conditions  of  soil,  exposure,  and 
cultural  management,  which  makes  the  subject  more  complex  and 
tantalising  to  the  grower.  Sometimes  a  simple  operation,  such  as 
lifting  a  tree,  makes  all  the  difference  between  bud-casting  and 
bud-retention.  In  other  cases,  transposition,  change  of  soil,  different 
environment,  and  alteration  of  management  are  necessary  to  effect 
sound  bud  formation. 
There  is  also  a  great  difference  in  varieties,  as  to  proneness  or 
otherwise  to  bud-casting,  which  does  not  appear  to  be  governed  by 
racial  vigour  and  constitutional  energy.  R  >yal  George  is  one  of 
the  tenderest  Peaches,  and  very  subject  to  mildew  outdoor*,  but  it 
is  the  least  given  to  cast  its  buds  of  any  variety  under  all  conditions 
of  cultivation — early,  midseas  m,  and  late  forcing.  So  also  is 
Stirling  Castle  Peach,  this  being  of  the  same  race — the  Madeleine  of 
the  French,  and  this,  with  Royal  George,  crop*  the  surest  of  all 
varieties  when  early  forced.  Both  have  small  flowers,  always 
bear  anthers  laden  with  pollen,  and  seldom  or  never  produce 
twin  fruits. 
Dr.  Hogg,  though  a  large-flowered  variety,  is  of  the  same  type 
as  regards  the  troe  and  the  fruit,  but  the  stamens  or  male  element 
is  of  the  Grosse  Mignonne  class  or  Mignonne  Veloutea  of  the 
French.  “It  was  raised  by  Mr.  Rivers  from  a  French  Peach  he 
received  from  Brittany,  under  the  name  of  P§che  Deniaux,  and 
first  fruited  in  1865”  (“Dr.  Hogg’s  Fruit  Manaal,”  page  442). 
This  variety  is  a  good  second  early  Peach,  bearing  well. 
Dymond  likewise  has  large  flower*,  wood  of  Royal  George, 
fruit  of  Grosse  Mignonne,  but  with  the  colour  of  the  male — Made¬ 
leine  race  ;  indeed,  Dymond  is  the  most  finely  coloured  and  richly 
flavoured  of  the  “dark”  Peaches,  and  unrivalled  a3  a  second  early 
or  midseason  variety,  always  excepting  Bollegarde  for  the  latter 
period  for  either  home  use  or  marketing.  It  was  raised  by  a  small 
nurseryman  or  market  gardener  at  Exeter,  but  his  name  does  not 
seem  to  be  recorded,  which  is  a  pity,  as  it  ought  to  be  associated 
with  so  grand  a  fruit. 
Crimson  Galande,  raised  by  Mr.  Rivers  from  Belle  Bauce  (of 
the  Grosse  Mignonne  race),  has  similar  flowers  to  Royal  George, 
good  bud-retentive  properties,  vigorous  habit,  freedom  of  growth 
of  the  Madeleine  type,  and  stoutness  of  the  Mignonne  Veloutde 
