Years ago, when one saw in a schedule of prizes a class for three, or four, or six "Scarlet Geraniums," the intending exhibitor had no difficulty in understanding what was required, for at that time the number of varieties was limited to those having more or less of this shade of colour in the flowers. Then, when with an increase of varieties came some having flowers with quite pale colours, the limitation of "Scarlet Geraniums," though always widely interpreted as inclusive of a certain class rather than of a certain shade of colour, was felt to be somewhat absurd; and in time that gave place to "Zonal Pelargoniums," the former again widely interpreted as taking in all that section known as "Scarlet Geraniums," though having flowers of various hues and leaves destitute of the zone common to many of them. A better botanical knowledge also led to the substitution of the generic term Pelargonium for Geranium. A wonderful improvement has gone on in these plants during the past twenty years; and tracing forwards from the circle of bright colour in the flowers of the well-known Tom Thumb, it has been seen to change, like a chromatrope, into a wondrous variety of shades of colour and types of flowers, that now form at summer and autumn exhibitions some of their brightest and most effective features.

The general term "scarlet," still found in some schedules of prizes, has become a misnomer. We are no longer confined to that sole colour, but have a range from the purest white, as found in Purity, to the deep crimson scarlet of Sambo. Thus it is easy and possible to stage, in a collection of six, nine, or twelve plants, as many shades of colour; and there is not a good variety in cultivation at the present day of which a well-grown plant does not constitute a striking and beautiful object. But classes and varieties have developed as well as colours; and the Zonal Pelargonium, swelling into importance with its high-sounding name, has assumed double forms that bid fair to become formidable rivals to the single varieties, either for exhibition or for decorative purposes. 'Tis true the range of colour in the flowers is as yet somewhat restricted; but that is a drawback that probably will not long exist, whilst it is also largely compensated for by the more permanent character of the flowers, which retain their petals and consequent usefulness for a much longer period.

The Nosegay section has usually a separate class also allotted to it, because it differs in its general features somewhat distinctly from the original Zonal kinds; but later varieties have exhibited such an approximation in the form of the pip to that of the best of the Zonal section, whilst retaining all the Nosegay freedom of growth and floriferous character of truss, that we may naturally look by-and-by to such a fusion of the two divisions as shall result in one improved type that will swallow up the distinction, but leave us, nevertheless, a section perfect in beauty and in form, and possessing all those features that make the Nosegays so popular both for bedding and pot-culture. I purpose in this paper to deal with the three sections of Zonal Pelargoniums here enumerated, and describe as logically as I can in what manner I prepare my own specimens, having usually been fortunate as an exhibitor in my day and generation since I first took them in hand.

Perhaps it will not be out of place to state at the outset that there is no exhibition plant that appears more to dislike training, or less to require a formal severity of shape, than the Pelargonium; and yet, in spite of these facts, there are to be found plenty of judges ready and willing to make leading awards to plants that have been subjected to a degree of training and torture that would be ridiculous were it not that it is almost disgusting in appearance. Who that has visited metropolitan shows is not familiar with those flattened surfaces bearing a resemblance to giant floral Mushrooms? or, if you like, flowerbeds upon wire? What a miserable parody on plants do these things present, tortured and twisted out of natural form, devoid of all grace and beauty ! They add another instance of the fitness of the saying, "that nature gave us form and outline, and humanity alone are its despoilers".

As a reverse to this, I have lately seen staged for competition at a provincial show a lot of pillar-trained plants, from 4 to 6 feet in height, certainly fairly flowered, but nevertheless looking so ungainly as to merit ridicule rather than praise. Unfortunately against them there was no competition, otherwise I should have viewed with some interest the awards of the judges, as, in spite of size and flower, I could not conceive that any sensible men would have placed these statuesque abortions before well and naturally grown specimens. As a mode of training to obtain plenty of bloom the pillar plant may be very useful, but for exhibition it only deserves disqualification.

My own specimens have usually been prepared for autumn exhibition - say beginning of September; and having this in view, I get some cuttings and put them in early in the previous year, and when well rooted, potted up into 48's to stand the winter, giving the shoots their first stopping. In an ordinary greenhouse these plants will not make much growth during the winter, but by the beginning of April will be ready for a shift into 32's, giving any robust shoots another pinching. Plenty of air and light is necessary now to maintain robust short-jointed growth, and by the time the pots are well filled with roots the cold weather will have passed away, and the external air may be safely trusted. To save much needless labour a shift should now be made into the blooming-pots (No. 12's is a good size for that purpose); and as the plants are to remain in these for a long time, a really good compost should be used, nothing being better than yellow loam, well-rotten manure, especially cow-dung, and a fair mixture of sand. I find it to be desirable to pot firmly, otherwise the soil will settle very much by the autumn, and therefore it is better to make it all the firmer at the first.