PELARGONIUM, a genus of plants of the natural order gcraniacecr, including many of the most favorite green-house flowers, to which the old generic name gent alum, is. often popularly given. The characters which distinguish pelargonium from geranium, as now restricted by botanists, are given in the article GERANIUM. The species are numerous, and mostly s. African; Australia also producing a few. Some of them are herbaceous, and some are stihnlessi most of them arc half-shrubby. Some have tuber ous root-stocks. The leaves exhibit great variety in form, division, etc. The flowers always adhere to a certain type in form, but with great variety in size, color, etc.; they are always in stalked umbels, which arise from the axils of the leaves, or in the stemless kinds from the midst of the leaves. In no genus•has the art of the gardener produced more striking results than in this; and the number of beautiful hybrids and varieties very great, some of them excelling in beauty any of the original species. Some species. not possessing much beauty of flower, are cultivated for the grateful odor of their leaves, which in some resembles that of roses; in others, that of apples, lemons, etc.; whilst
that of many species is rather unpleasant. The cultivation of pelargoniums is similar to that of other geraniaeae. See GERANIUM. A few of the species endure the open air in the s. of England; many are planted out in summer even in Scotland. Water must be liberally supplied to pelargoniums during the time of flowering; but no plants inure strongly require a period of rest, and water must then be very sparingly given. Many of the shrubby kinds may be taken out of the soil, hung up by the roots in a dry dark eeljar, or covered with hay, and put aside in a box• in is cool dry loft or garret, care being taken, however, to protect them from frost. Every leaf should be removed before they are taken up, and young watery shoots should be cut off. Another method of treating them is to cut otf every leaf before frost comes, and to keep the plants all winter in their pots in a dry cool room. without giving them a drop of water. By such means many of this beautiful genus are successfully cultivated by persons who have no green ,house.