Flowers and Plants. 59 



leaves should also be removed. Most of the hard woo'led plants 

 may be rooted in the open air during the spring and autumn 

 months, but tender and watery plants are better covered with a 

 bell glass, or shaded for a few days until they become wonted to 

 their new location. Shade is needed, because exposure to the 

 sun evaporates the little moisture contained in them, and they 

 will wither away. A good method for raising the cuttings in a 

 email way is take flower pots and fill them two-thirds full of good 

 loamy soil, and over this place an inch to an inch and a half of 

 gand to receive the cuttings. Moisten the sand well. Set the 

 cuttings about an inch deep and near the edge of the pot, as a 

 near contact with the pottery has a tendency to encourage the 

 formation of roots, A good method for striking cuttings, 

 which I have frequently used, is to take pots of six to eight 

 inches diameter, fill them with soil to within two inches of the 

 top, then close the drainage hole in a three or four inch pot and 

 set in the center, place the sand around it, water well, insert the 

 cuttings and keep the smaller pots filled with water, and shade 

 for three or four days. Nearly enough moisture will oozt; through 

 the pores to supply the wants of the cuttings. Mr. Henderson, a 

 noted florist of New York, recommends what he styles the saucer 

 system, that is, to take a saucer or rather shallow plate, fill with 

 sand, wet to the consistency of mortar, inserting the cuttings and 

 pressing the sand closely about them. It must be kept sopping 

 wet, for if allowed to dry the cuttings will die. 



If the cuttings do well the roots will form as soon as a new 

 growth of leaves start They should be potted ofT without delay, 

 as soon as the roots are about a half inch long, or they will be- 

 come feeble for the want of sufficient nourishment. Where many 

 plants are grown, it is well to keep at hand a compost for potting 

 purposes. This is usually prepared by taking two parts of loamy 

 sods from an old pasture or the road side and one of leaf mold 

 from the woods. Where leaf mold is not convenient, well de- 

 composed horse or cattle manure or refuse brewer's hops may be 

 substituted. The sods are placed grassy sides down to facilitate 

 rotting, a layer of sods and a layer of mold until the heap is com- 

 pleted. The pile should be shoveled over occasionally, to mix 



