GROWING GERANIUMS.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 183, 11 January 1878, Page 7

GROWING GERANIUMS.

A correspondent of the Fruit Recorder, America, writes as follows : — v Among- tbe many plants for garden or house decoration, nothing will surpass the geranium in brilliancy and abundance- of bloom. Man} 1 * err : in j starting their slips, giving them too much water, thereby causing them to damp off and die, especially if tbey are are not well ripened, but seem succulent. For the past two or three years F have tried the following plan, and have never lost a cutting : — About tbe middle of August, I look over my geranium plants, and nfter selecting suitable branches, I take a sharp knife and cut slanting upwards half through the stalk just below the leaf, being careful to make the cut about two or thi^ee inches from the end of the branch, as they will root out. more readily at that point, and make better shaped plants than if tbe slips are taller. I let them remain on the plants about, a week after being cut, as by that time a callus is formed, and the .slips can then be wholly severed from the plant and placed in saucers or small pots to root. For soil, 1 use one part, sand, two parts good loam, and two parts leaf mould. The latter is two years old, well rotted, upon which has been turned the first year washingsud and other slops. I find this excellent for plants, and do not use manure in the soil, as this leaf mould is sufficiently rich without it. Sometimes I start my slips in saucers of sand, keeping them very- wet j sometimes in the soil in which tbey are to grow, in small pots. In either case they start readily and make fine plants. If rooted in sand they must be removed as soon as roots -'are formed, which can readily be. ascertained, and placed in two or three inch pots. Young plants of the geraniums will soon blossom after their pots* are filled with roots. Last, winter f had clusters of blossoms, the largest I ever saw, and kept my plants (those started in August and September) in tho.*e thi'ee inch pots all winter, taking, the na' out when I thought it necessary,.shaking off an inch: or more of soil at the bottom, putting in fresh,"be ing careful to disturb tbe loots as little as possible. After the pots are well cleaned, and the plant replaced with fresh earth at the

bottom, it is well to scrape away a little of the old soil at the top and put ori new, which will' soon cause them to starr. with "fresh vigour and reward you with many huds and blossoms'.".