Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-11-07
Wlnterlng csranlans.
BY CLINTON.

In the Rural Newly orker, Of Oct.
18th, on page $40. Inotice remark
to the effect that Pelargoniums cans
not be successfully wintered by being
hung up IN the cellar. There is such
a difference in the use Of the term
Pelargoniuu, by different writer,
that it is sometimes difficult to deter
mine correctly what is intended by
tho word. While some seem to limit
its use to the Lady Washington and
other similar varieties Of 1.-THE German
family, others make it include all the
ornamental-leaved varieties, and 9TH
ers, again, employ the word merely as
lif synonymous with, but preferable to,
the more common name, Geranium,
and intended by it, to include, the
entire family of Geraniums. It would
be well if we could have some uniform
rule for the employment Of the word.
4 TT is hard to change words however
, enormously used, that have passed
. into familiar use. that sufficiently well
explain our meaning. Pelargonium,
, as we have several times explained. is
the botanical name of those tender
plants generally called Geraniums
$ Our hardy Spotted Cranesbill. Caro-
: lima Cranesbill, Herb Robert are true
Geraniums.-EDs.
: Without further preface, will DIES.
n cribe nv method Of wintering Geran'
# iums with least trouble, and prett.
+ uniform success. Before the plant
y are injured By frost. raise them care
-, :, fully from the ground, as if for potting
shorten the bfsho6 S5s 81 ) cutting 81
from one-third to one. half of thei
+ length, tie as many together as ma!
t be convenient for handling, attach I
t label indicating the variety, and hang
e them, in an inverted position, closet!
t together, to the beams in the cellar.
:. Treating them in this manner,
+ have no difficulty in carrying large
majority of them successfully through
:, the winter. Indeed, the loss of {
= single plant is an exception rather
5 than otherwise. About the time fol
planting flower seeds in the hot bed
y in the spring, plant the Geranium
t closely together In tubs or boxes, COW
If ering the roots well with fine eartf
It and watering sufficiently to keep the
: roots moist. prepared in this man
# ner and kept in a secure place, l fnt
! they will be ready for planting out al
soon as the seaaon will admit of it
' and will be as forward in their bloom
as those usually wintered in the cellar
: with the roots covered with earth.
+ It should be understood, however
g that three things are important te
r success; in this mode of treatmeI
+ Tie plant should not be hung 10 1
h cellar when there is a furnace to dry
!. the atmosphere to such an extent tina
the branches will become dried ant
withered, beyond resuscitation. Or
the other hand, the cellar should no
0 be too moist, as in that case, the plant
II are liable to mold and rot: and in tn,
r third place, the cellar should be I'm
e pervious to frost. The temperature
: should be about the same as is necess
a airy Cor the successful wiutering of frui
, and vegetables generally. l usual.
o winter large number Of Geraniums il
this manner, both of double and sin
: gle varieties-Zonale and ornamental.
!eaved alike, with very satisfactory re
: suits.
: The careful washing of the roots
f when the plants are taken up in the
fall, as it seems is recommended BY
K some. is, in my opinion, useless
1 waste Of labor, and l think is rather
injurious than otherwise, as the les
the root, are handled or disturbed, tn
\ better.