March  24,  1904. 
2-A  JOURNAL  OF  HORriOULrURE 
Decorative  Pelargoniums. 
Among  the  numerous  plants  which  form  such  a  brilliant  dis- 
p  ay  in  the  Covent  Carden  Flower  IMarket  during  spring  and 
early  .summer,  few  are  more  admired  by  casual  visitors  than 
those  Pe'argoniums  that  partake  of  the  Regal  and  Show  types, 
and  vhich  are  commonly  known  by  the  appropriate  but  not  dis¬ 
tinctive  name  of  “  Decorative  Pelargoniums.”  These  handsome 
plants  comprise  a  large  number  of  varieties  distinguished  by  the 
possession  of  several  excellent  qualities,  which  render  them  ,such 
popular  favourites  that  their  culture  receives  a  very  large  share 
of  attention  from  the  nurserymen  and  florists  who  groiv  plants 
chiefly  or  exclusively  for  market. 
The  flowers,  in  the  majority  of  the' varieties  that  are  largely 
grown,  do  not  possess  the  smoothness  and  regularity  of  form 
which  characterise  the  Show  Pelargoniums,  but  they  are  extremely 
freely  produced  in  enormous  trusses,  and  the  colours  are  very 
brilliant  and  diversified.  Further,  under  good  management  the 
jilants  are  sturdy  and  compact  iii  habit,  with  rich  dark  green 
foliage,  and  they  can  be  easily  had  in  flower  from-  early  Marcli 
onwards.  Many  of  the  varieties  also  have  blooms  with  beauti¬ 
fully  crimped  or  fringed  margins,  that  add  considerably  to  their 
attractions,  and  admirably  fit  them  for  employment  in  bouquets, 
Ac.  Indeed,  nearly  all  tlie  varieties  are  remarkably  well  adapted 
to  supply  blooms  for  cutting,  and  large  numbers  of  plants  are 
grown  for  that  purpose  alone. 
As  regards  the  employment  of  this  section  of  Pelargoniums 
for  general  decoration,  their  value  is  really  inestimable  during 
Marcli,  April,  and  Alay,  and  that  they  are  very  widely  appre¬ 
ciated  for  this  purpose  may  be  judged  from  the  immense  numbers 
annually  brought  to  market.  One  firm  alone  propagates  upwards 
of  seventy  thousand  plants  every  year,  while  many  other  growers 
also  grow  them  exten'sively. 
The  majority  of  the  plants  that  appear  in  the  market  are 
compact,  vigorous  specimens,  aliout  18in  in  height  and  nearly 
the  same  in^diamete'r,  clothed  with  foliage  down  to  the  riims  of 
the  pots,  and  bearing  a  dozen  or  more  clense  trusses  of  large 
flowers.  They  are  chiefly  one-year-old  plants  in  48-size  pots,  and 
although  cut-backs  in  larger  pots  are  numerous,  the  former  are 
mo'.t  in  demand.  Better  examples  of  cultural  skill  could  scarcely 
lie  .seen,  for  the  shoots  are  exceptionally  stout,  firm,  and  short- 
jointed.  starting  from  the  main  stem  an  inch  or  two  above  the 
soil,  wliile  the  leaves  are  thick,  of  a  rich  healthy  green  colour, 
and  often  4in  or  5in  in  length  and  breadth.  Among  the  many 
thousands  of  plants  in  the  nurseries  of  the  best  growers  scarcely 
one  can  be  seen  that  indicates  the  slightest  approach  to  the  draAvn, 
sickly  appearance  which  marks  too  many  Pelargoniums  in  private 
collections.  Green  fly,  the  invariable  attendant  oir  bad  cultiva¬ 
tion.  caiwe.s  little  trouble  to  these  wholesale  growers,  whose  every 
effort  is  directed  to  insure  vigorous  grorvth  and  perfect  matura¬ 
tion  of  the  wood  and  foliage.  Aluch  can  be  learned  from  these 
cultivators,  for.  as  in  all  cases  of  growing  for  profit,  the  most 
economical  means  of  producing  the  best  results  are  generall.v 
adopted — two  points  of  considerable  advantage,  not  only  to  them, 
l)ut  to  gardener.s.  also.  Therefore  a  few  particulars  concerning 
tl'.e  treatment  these  useful  Pe'argonium.s  receive  from  the  most 
'Uccessfui  growers  may  prove  serviceable  to  some  readers. 
The  systems  adopted  by  different  cultivators  vary  slightly, 
hut  only  in  minor  details,  and  these  will  be  referred  to  as  we 
follow  tiie  progress  of  the  plant  from  tlie  cutting  state  until  ready 
for  market.  First,  as  to  the  important  operation  of  propagation, 
which  it  will  be  readily  understood  must  be  commenced  early  to 
give  the  plants  all  the  i  ime  possible  for  making  growth  if  they  are 
to  be  good  specimcjis  by  the  following  .spring. 
Tlie  earlie.st  cuttings  are  obtained  from  plant.s  being  sent  to 
market  in  April,  and  cousi<t  of  the  side' shoots  from  the  principal 
blanches,  which  avr  removed  without  any  detriment  to  the 
arjpcarance  of  the  plants.  'ITicse  cuttings  are  prepared  in  the 
orciiiiary  way,  and  imeried  .‘-ingly  in  the  centres  of  large  thtimbs 
or  pots  in  a  light  coiiiijost  of  loam  and  sand,  sometimes 
with  rhe  addition  of  a  little  leaf  soil.  The  pots  are  placed  on 
shelve.-;  in  one  of  the  houses,  usually  where  xjlant.s  are  being 
advanced  into  bloom  by  a  .slightly  higher  temperature.  Shading 
i.>  nece.s?ary  until  the  cutting.s  are  well  rooted,  and  water  is  care- 
frdly  sup]>lied,  as  the  early  cutting.^,  not  being  so  firm  as  tho.se 
obtahicd  later  on,  are  very  liable  to  clamp-off. 
PropagatiGU  i;  couti'iued  throughout  the  next  two  or  three 
liiontlis.  luit  the  cutting.s  are  then  obtained  from  plants  in  stock, 
a  1  fho.se  v.dlh  the  l)e.st  coloured  and  finest  flowers  being  selected 
for  the  j>urpo.  e.  Short-jointed,  firm  .shoots  are  cho.sen  in  pre¬ 
ference  to  such  a-  are  lets  matured,  and  very  much  of  the  after- 
.sncces.s  is  found  to  depend  upon  attention  to  this  matter.  The.se 
ar.'  inserted  in  similar  soil  as  the  first  batch,  but  usually  three 
or  four  in  a  large  (50-pot,  or  a  greater  number  in  one  of  the 
4S-size.  As  the  sun  is  powerful  at  that  time,  .shading  receives 
special  attention,  so  as  to  prevent  the  leaves  ‘'flagging” 
.'xcessively. 
AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
The  cutting.s  that  are  inserted  singly  in  small  pots  remain  in 
them  until  roots  have  been  well  formed,  when  the  young  plants 
are  at  once  shifted  into  48-size  pots,  the  size  in  which  they  are 
sent  to  market.  The  soil  employed  consists  of  rather  heavy 
turfy  loam  that  has  been  stored  up  for  some  time  previously  to 
use.,  from  which  only  the  roughest  portion  is  removed,  the  re.st 
being  broken  up  with  a  spade.  A  small  quantity  of  sand  is  added, 
and  occasionally  some  hor.se  manure  or  Clay’s  Fertiliser;  but  the 
two  latter,  w  here  the  loam  is  good,  are  by  no  means  indispensable 
ingredients,  although  they  appear  fo  have  a  beneficial  influence 
on  the  colours  of  the  flowers. 
The  pots  are  either  new  or  perfectly  cleaned,  so  as  to  prevent 
the  soil  and  roots  from  adhering  to  the  inner  surface.  The 
drainage  consists  of  potsherds  or  broken  bricks,  the  former  being 
more  generally  employed,  the  very  robnst-growing  varieties  only 
requiring  a  single  piece  placed  concave  side  downwards  over  the 
hole,  but  those  that  arei  more  delicate  in  habit  need  several 
pieces.  As  to  the  system  of  potting,  some  advocate  ramming 
the  soil  into  the  pots  as  firmly  as  possible,  while  others  only 
render  it  moderately  firm.  Good  results  are  irroduced  by  both 
practices,  but  the  former  is  preferred. 
The  cuttings,  struck  several  togetlier,  are,  as  they  become  well 
rooted,  shifted  into  thumbs  or  GO-size  pots,  and  subsequently 
when  well  ostablished  they  are  transferred  into  48’s  in  successional 
batches  from  September  to^  Christmas,  so  as  to  maintain  the 
supply  of  flowering  plant.s  from  March  to  July.  In  all  cases  the 
houses  containing  the  newly-potted  plants  are  kept  rather 
warmer,  and  partially  shaded  for  a  short  time,  until  the  plants 
have  recovered  from  the  effects  of  potting,  when  a  lower  tem¬ 
perature  and  abundant  ventilation  are  requisite. 
Messrs.  H.  Cannell  and  Sens,  Swanley,  Kent,  have  been  good 
enough  to  name  and  describe  some  of  the  best  decorative  Pelar¬ 
goniums  as  follows  ;  — 
Lily  Krumholz. — Large  ro.sy-magenta  flowers,  black  blotch  on 
each  petal :  large  trusses;  dwarf  spreading  habit. 
Paul  Oliver. — Bright  rose,  .'-uffused  orange  and  .slightly  marked 
salmon,  white  centre,  crimson  blotches. 
Duke  of  Cornwall. — Gigantic,  large,  well-formed  flowers  of 
great  substance  :  slightly  crimped  petals,  reddish  crimson,  each 
petal  bordered  light  salmon  •  splendid  branching  habit ;  a  stan¬ 
dard  variety.  (See  illustration.) 
Lord  Carrington. — Of  a  beautiful  mauve-purple  shade  with  a 
large  crimson-lake  blotch  in  the  upper  petals;  enormous  large 
flowers  and  trusses;  quite  a  distinct  variety;  habit  fir.st -class. 
Lady  Carrington. — Of  a  most  beautiful  tint  of  blush-white, 
slightly  crimped  margins,  and  a  .slight  reddish  maroon  blotch  in 
the  upper  petals;  large  trusses,  splendid  habit. 
Countess  of  Crewe. — Fine  bold  flowers  of  an  attractive  satiny- 
rose  .shade;  petals  beautifully  crinpied,  and  of  thick  leathery 
substance;  splendid. 
Lord  Kitchener. — Crimson-.'^carlet,  and  considered  a  fine  im¬ 
provement  on  the  well-known  variety  Martial. 
White  Fanny  Fden. — An  exact  counterpart  in  habit  of  Fanny 
Eden,  from  which  it  is  a  sport ;  floriferous,  and  very  dwarf. 
Mrs.  Geo.  Gordon. — .Soft  satiny-pink,  perfectly  distinct  from 
any  other  ;  a  mo.'^t  attractive  and  pleasing  shade ;  habit  dwarf  and 
bushy,  and  all  that  can  be  desired. 
Alice  Hayes. — A  very  beautiful  white,  free  flowering  and  good 
habit  ;  a  sport  from  the  well-known  variety  Dorothy,  an  exact 
counterpart,  excepting  in  colour. 
C’rimson  King. — Good  habit;  one  of  the  mo.st  popular  varieties 
for  market  purposes  ;  as  its  name  denotes,  intense  crimson  colour. 
Viola. — Soft  purple-violet,  .shaded  lighter;  a  mo,st  distinct 
(■olour  in  th-is  family;  flowers  well  formed;  free  bloomer;  good 
habit. 
Duches:s  of  Portland.  -A  sport  from  Empress  of  India,  in  habit 
and  size  of  fl.ower  identical  with  that  variety;  blu.sh  salmon, 
deeper  in  the  upper  petals  ;  very  .striking  and  effective. 
Eventide. — Pale  rosy  cerise,  dark  maroon  blotch  on  upper 
petals,  white  throat  ;  a  beautiful  flower. 
Joseph  Leigh. — Clear  rosy  pink,  large  dark  maroon  blotch  on 
upper  petals  ;  dAvarf  and  free. 
I  Prince  George. — Attractive;  crimped  flowers  of  soft  salmon- 
pink,  loAver  iretals  marked  Avith  a  small  blotch  of  orange-maroon, 
upper  petals  blctched  blackish  maroon  ;  enormous  trusses. 
Purple  Emperor. — Fine  bold  open  floAvers,  and  foi’ining  into 
large  trusses,  upper  petals  feathered  and  blotched  maroon; 
distinct. 
Sultana. — Rich  red,  enliAened  Avith  chestnut,  upper  petals  of 
a  much  richer  shade  and  feathered  maroon,  pure  AAhite  centre, 
the  AA  hole  floAver  margined  pure  Avhite.  ' 
Venus. — The  earliest  of  all  Avhite-floAvering  varieties. 
Hamlet  et  Ophelie. — Light  .satiny  mauve,  of  a  deeper  colour 
in  upper  petals,  and  blotched  deep  criinson-maroon ;  floAvers  very 
large  and  of  good  shape.  w 
Emperor  of  Russia. — Dark  maroon-crimson,  elegantly  marked 
Avith  a  Avhite  belt  ;  A’cry  di.-'tinct. 
