128 ROCK GARDENS 



judicious watering, neither letting soil get too 

 dry nor keeping it too moist. 



Propagation by division or cuttings, when 

 possible, is on the whole preferable, for the 

 plants are then sure to be true and reach 

 maturity much sooner. As this method, how- 

 ever, can only apply when one either possesses 

 or has access to a plant from which to take 

 the pieces or cuttings, and when it is possible 

 to pot them up soon after being removed from 

 the parent plant, it would not be feasible 

 when collecting abroad, in which case try 

 to get seeds and raise plants from them. 

 There are some kinds, indeed, though not 

 many, which will neither admit of division 

 nor grow readily from cuttings : for example, 

 many of the Aquilegias family ; these can 

 therefore only be raised from seed. In grow- 

 ing alpines from seed, the secret of success 

 lies in procuring fresh seed that will germinate 

 readily, and also yield a much larger per- 

 centage of plants. In order to ensure its 

 being fresh, when possible save the seed your- 

 self. Therefore look out carefully for seed, 

 especially in the case of the rarer kinds. Often 



