1:?4 THE GARDENER. [March 



liaud-glass, getting excessively heated. When the seedlings can be easily- 

 handled, they may then be dibbled into lines in the frame, on a prei)ared bed for 

 their reception, well watered through a rose, the sashes put on, kept pretty 

 close and shaded for eight days, then give additional ventilation, and remove 

 the shading by degrees, and subsequently the sashes. 



Lift and pot the plants with as much soil about their roots as will adhere, 

 and replace them in the frame over winter, giving abundant air during sunshine 

 and mild days, and not neglecting to have them always moderately moist at 

 the root, 



After-Culture. — What we have first to consider under this head is the prepara- 

 tion of the ground which the plants are intended to occupy. This ought to be 

 deeply trenched and well manured some months prior to planting out, and 

 again treated in the same way just before planting out in April. At the latter 

 end of A]uil, plant out in lines, 3 feet between plants, and the same between 

 rows. Water them if the soil be dry. Invert a pot over each plant should the 

 weather threaten frost, but uncover them dailj' as soon as the frost is gone 

 again, replacing them in the evenings until all danger of severe frost is past. 

 Supplj^ each plant with a firmly-fixed stake, fully .3 feet above ground, as 

 soon as the plants have reached about a foot in height. Water copiously at the 

 root in dry weather. After they are well established, and are in active growth, 

 also applj'^ the syringe freely in the evenings after hot sunshine, to freshen the 

 foliage and prevent red-spider getting a footing. Thin out the flowers when 

 they appear in clusters, so that their quality may be justly judged when they 

 open. These points attended to, and the stopping of the growth 6 feet above 

 ground, the thinning and cropping off of the side shoots is all that need be 

 advised regarding seedlings. 



Propagation hy Cuttings. — Cuttings should be taken from the base of the 

 stem when they are a little more than 2 inches long. Cut them away close to 

 the junction, pot them singly into thumb-pots, and plunge them into a half- 

 spent hotbed. Keep them close and shaded until rooted ; then admit air 

 gradually, until they are inured to full exposure. Be rather temperate 

 as regards water until it may be assumed that the plants are well furnished 

 with roots, after which give unsparingly. Never permit the plants to get pot- 

 bound on any consideration, but make it a ride to give larger shifts as soon as 

 their roots net the balls of soil. Division of the roots is a simple process, and 

 is efi'ected by sjilitting up the stem and root into as many parts as there are 

 sprouts about the stem. Pot and afford them the protection of a cold frame, 

 keeping them moderately close and warm for the succeeding ten days. Multi- 

 plying by the eye is a simple process also, and is performed by cutting 

 the side shoots into as many pieces as there are eyes ; and the process consists 

 in using a knife with a keen edge, cutting in the solid of the stem below^ each eye : 

 cut also away the leaves, but leave the footstalk adhering to the eye ; cover the 

 eyes fully a quai'ter of an inch after arranging them rather thickly together in 

 pots, making the footstalks of the leaves stand erect above the soil. Treat as 

 recommended for other cuttings. These side shoots are best obtained in the lat- 

 ter end of summer, just prior to the w^ood becoming too hard. 



General EemarTcs relating to Plants raised from Cuttings, and which are cul- 

 tivated for Competition. — Of necessity, some difference exists in the general 

 culture of those ])lants under this heading and that of seedlings. There is no 

 difference regarding the preparation of the ground, and other details which I 

 need not rehearse ; but at the risk of repetition, permit me to counsel against 



