I88s.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



105 



tar) is put on the inside; then this plan will not do. 

 There is no need whatever, in my opinion, to take 

 down the pipes if the gas tar is only on the out- 

 side. 



THE CYCLAMEN. 



UY W. C. 



How seldom we find this plant, in the green- 

 houses of to-day, grown as it should be. I think 

 it one of the best plants for decorating a conser- 

 vatory or greenhouse, and for a window plant it 

 has no equal to my knowledge, also for cut flow- 

 ers. The soil best suited to the Cyclamen is a 

 compost of good turfy loam three parts, leaf-soil 

 and old rotten cow manure one part each, with 

 sand enough to keep the compost from becoming 

 sodden. For my part I prefer seedlings to old 

 bulbs. I sow the seed in February in well-drained 

 pans placed in a propagating bed, well shaded un- 

 til the plants are up, then remove the shade grad- 

 ually, and when the plants are hard enough place 

 them on a shelf close to the glass. When the 

 bulbs get as large as peas, pot into 3-inch pots, 

 place again in propagating bed with a sash 

 over them to keep close, also shade for a time un- 

 til established, then place again near the glass. 

 As soon as the weather will permit remove into a 

 cold frame to harden ready for planting out. 

 About June ist, or when all danger from frost is 

 gone, plant out about one foot apart in a border. 

 If the ground is naturally stiff, a little sand and 

 leaf soil will be a benefit (as they do not like a 

 stiff soil). Care should be taken to keep the sur- 

 face soil clear of weeds and well loosened up ; 

 also, should the weather be dry, a good watering 

 once or twice a week will be needed, the object 

 being to keep the plants growing all summer. 

 About September 15th lift the plants and pot into 

 well drained pots — six or seven-inch is the best 

 size ; place in a cold frame and shade for a few 

 days ; here they may remain until the nights be- 

 gin to get too cold for them, when they may be 

 removed into a light, airy greenhouse, keeping the 

 plants as near the glass as possible. The temper- 

 ature best suited is 50O to 55° by night, 60° to 75O 

 by day ; the latter temperature with bright sun and 

 considerable air. Bay View, Mass. 



PROPAGATING PLANTS. 

 BY MRS. J. S. R. THOMSON. 



I -with many other amateurs have felt the need 

 greatly of a r.ipid means of propagating what 

 plants we wish to increase; and the need has be- 



come more urgent since we have established a 

 bureau of exchange. We by this means add so 

 easily to a small collection that, now we once know 

 and appreciate it, will not be easily induced to give 

 it up. 1 have a large cold pit to winter over my 

 plants in, with never the hope of having flowers 

 during the winter, as I have no means of heating 

 it, and (often as this, for instance, which has been 

 unprecedentedly cold with us) congratulate myself 

 on saving them alive to bloom during the summer 

 season. I am contemplating a change though in 

 said pit — to heat — and I am consulting with a 

 noted florist to see if my plan is feasible. But in 

 the meantime our season for propagating many 

 plants is almost upon us, and 1 have, 1 believe, hit 

 upon an idea that if it will work and become known, 

 I will be considered a public benefactor by my am- 

 ateur sisterhood. 1 give you my idea, and ask 

 in all simplicity, do you think it will work ? I 

 have an ordinary kerosene stove with attachments 

 thereto usual to them — a baker for one — which I 

 propose being one of my accessories to my propa- 

 gating apparatus, ist, I intend to fill an iron 

 baking pan, 3 inches deep 14x18 inches, with 

 clean white sand, and in this place closely my 

 slips or cuttings. 2d, light the fire, place my baker 

 in its usual place, and within that as deep a boiler 

 as it will accommodate, filled with water, closing 

 the door of the baker upon it ; then on top of this 

 baker I propose setting this pan of cuttings, and 

 I think the boiling water, generating steam, on 

 escaping around and under the pan will give me 

 just any temperature I may desire, by regulating 

 it with the little rachet wheels to turn up flame or 

 lower it, by putting in a thermometer in the sand 

 and keeping sand sopping wet. Why have I not 

 a means, of rapidly increasing all my plants — 

 those that require great heat and those that like 

 little ? I would feel exceedingly obliged if you 

 would give me your opinion of my plan. I have 

 not one practical scientific idea, but 1 believe this 

 will work. Spartanburg, S. C. 



[This is a very good suggestion, and the appar- 

 atus will no doubt work very well. 



There is, however, one thing which may be said 

 about this propagating subject, that the more ex- 

 perience one gets the simpler the art of propaga- 

 tion is found to be, till in time we find that we 

 ; need scarcely any apparatus at all. Two or three 

 generations ago propagation was thought to be a 

 great mystery ; only a few had the hidden secrets 

 revealed to them. In some of the famous nur- 

 ! series of the Old World the propagating depart- 

 ment was surrounded by a high wall like a prison. 



