172 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



according to their period of growth, so must the cuttings be put in 

 at difterent seasons ; but as the heath is seldom quite dormant, suit- 

 able cuttings may be got Irom the greater part of them during the 

 months from June to September, which time is best, as they then 

 form a callosity before winter, and will sstart into growth the follow- 

 ing spring. When preparing the cuttings, the greatest care is 

 required in taking off" the leaves from the part of the cutting which 

 goes in the soil not to iujure the bark, also in preparing the base of 

 the cutting with a clean cut, and this may be most eflectually done 

 across the thumb-nail, as in nibbing a pen. From one to two inches 

 is sufficient length for the cuttings, and they need not be inserted 

 more than half an inch in the soil ; prick them in with a fine pricker, 

 and carefully close the sand against each. Wlien the pot is filled 

 with them, dip it again in water, so that it just run over the rim 

 without wetting the foliage of the cuttings, and cover with a bell- 

 glass, which must be taken off" occasionally to be wiped, and should 

 damping take place amongst them take care to dry them. When 

 starting an inch or two into growth, they must be turned out of the 

 pot, and carefully separated and potted. The alter treatment is 

 given above. 



In choosing young stock from the nursery, do not aim at size so 

 much as healthy plants in vigorous growth, short in the leg, well 

 furnished with branches, and by no means pot-bound. Be not lured 

 by plants in flower, as flower is often the result of cramped roots ; 

 and once the heath gets cramped and pot-bound, it is difficult to 

 make a fine specimen of it. If received in spring or sumaier, and 

 they seem to require a shiit, which may be known by carefully turn- 

 ing them out ot" the pot upon the hand, to see if the roots form a 

 network over the ball ; if so, they will take a shift into pots a size 

 or two larger. Make ready pots of the size required, and if new, 

 soak in water before using, otherwise they will exhaust the soil of 

 its moisture ; also provide crocks of dift'erent sizes, and peat earth, 

 not too finely broken, amongst which, if it is thought to require it, 

 sift a little silver sand, some lumps of charcoal as big as filberts, to 

 throw into the pot a few at a time as the potting goes on ; these act 

 as sweeteners of the soil, and help the circulation of water through 

 the mass. A good drainage is of the first importance. Having 

 secured this, press into the pot a little lumpy peat to set the ball 

 on, and so regulate it that the top of the old ball may come within 

 about half au inch of the top of the pot. Fill in round the sides of 

 the ball with the new soil, and ram it tightly in with a blunt stick, 

 so that the water, when given on the surface, may not run away 

 through the new soil without wetting the ball. At this stage the 

 form of the plant should be attended to, the branches pegged out, 

 and taught to take such a direction as v^ill ultimately form a sym- 

 metrical specimen, without the aid of so many stakes as are generally 

 used. They may then be placed in a frame or pit, upon a hard 

 bottom, where no worms can get into the pots ; for if this happens 

 they will fill up the drainage, and cause much trouble, if not injury 

 to the plants. In such a place, during the summer mouths, their 

 growth will be rapid, as their roots stand cool ; and although plenty 



