] oitrnal of Agriculture. 



[8 April, 1907 



Cuttings of the young shoots that develop Literally along the stems, or 

 at the base of the plants, root readilv in a cold frame, or under a bell-glass 

 or a closelv covered box, if inserted in sandy soil during April. The cut- 

 tings should be about 3 inches in length, the leaves trimmed from the lower 

 half of the cutting, and the cuttings inserted around the edge of the pots 

 of sand. The pots should be well drained, and the sand washed, to 

 remove anv fermentirjg medium. A box (like a butter-box) should l:>e Tilled 

 to within 6 inches of the top with light soil, sand, or ashes. Holes should 

 be bored in the Ijottom to permit of drainage. The cuttings may be in- 

 serted, sav, six in a 5-inch pot, always inserting cuttings around the edge, 

 in preference to the centre of the pots. Four such pots will be accommo- 

 dated in a butter-box. and after the cuttings are inserted should be plunged 

 to the rims in 1 he material in the box, lightly watered, and covered closely 

 witti a nicelv fitting sheet of glass. In such a frame a number of cuttings 

 mav be rooted during the season. After the cuttings are rooted, they 



SINGLE PETUNIA — '" GIANTS OF 

 CALIFORNIA." 



DOUBLE FLOWERING PETUNIA. 



should be potted into small pots and grown on till spring, when they may 

 be either planted out in the border or re-potted and grown on in larger 

 pots. Petunias succeed well in pots, and nice bushy plants may be de- 

 veloped bv occasional! V pinching the leading shoots. The soil for \>ot 

 culture should be light and porous, and the pots should be thoroughly 

 drained. 



The most suitable soil for growing petunias in the open border is a 

 moderatelv rich light loam, but the plants will thrive fairly in any fair 

 garden soil. Excessive manuring will produce large plants without a cor- 

 responlding increase in the number or quality of the flowers. A fairly 

 open position should be allotted them, and ordinary border cultivation, 

 including watering during dry hot weather, will suffice to bring the plants 

 into a condition that will enable them tO' produce an abundant crop of 

 flowers. 



