WIJVDOW GARDENING. 51 



Another desirable way is to pack the pot in which the seeds are planted, into 

 another pot of larger size, and fill up the space with moss, refuse hops or tan 

 bark, which can be kept both warm and moist with hot water. A little of it can 

 stand in the saucer which holds the largest pot, and thus an equitable state of 

 moisture can be preserved. 



Hard shelled seed.s, like Canna, Acacias, Cypress Vines, etc., will germinate 

 much quicker if they are soaked in boiling water for an hour or so. Turn it 

 npon them boiling hot, and let it stand until cool, then plant the seeds. Some 

 gardeners prefer to pour boiling water upon the surface of the soil prepared for 

 them, rather than upon the seeds. Either way will succeed, but it is essential 

 to soften the horny substance which envelops the seeds, if you desire them to 

 grow. 



Verbena seeds require soaking in warm water over night ; turn the water upon 

 them, and let the cup stand in a warm place. 



Many beautiful plants can be raised from seeds as easily as from cuttings, and 

 be more highly appreciated because they are all your own, developed by your 

 patient care and attention. 



Begonias, Callas, Oleanders, Cyclamens, Calceolarias, Gloxinias, Primulas, 

 Carnations, Lantanas, Coleus, Heliotropes, Geraniums, Cinerarias, Pelargo- 

 niums, Camellias, Abutilons and Cacti, etc., can all be made to grow into fine 

 plants, but it requires constant care and patience to cultivate them. 



Some of them are very long in germinating, others in blooming, and they re- 

 quire much time, for the least neglect will often prove fatal to them. 



Cutti7igs. 



There is little trouble raising plants from cuttings ; a few rules are essential, 

 and a little care and time are requisite, but any one can make them strike root. 



They can be struck either from woody pieces without leaves, but all ready to 

 send them forth, or from young green shoots. 



The first mentioned will rarely fail to grow, but they grow slowly, taking^ 

 sometimes a long time to start the first leaf, while the nice green shoots will 

 quickly become respectable plants. But it is well to know that if the branches 

 of an old plant are broken down, the hard woody stems will produce in time, fine 

 plants. 



Take a hard old stem of Geranium, Fuchsias, Myrtle, Heliotrope, Sweet Ver- 

 bena, or any desirable plant, and cut it so as to leave one or two joints or eyes 

 on a piece, (a joint is the slight thickening of the branch whence the leaves and 

 side branches will come out), set them into a damp sponge or moss, keephig it 

 moistened, for four or five days, a week may not be too long, but keep them in a 

 dark cool place. A slight callous will then be formed, and the cutting will be 

 all ready to put forth fresh roots as soon as it is potted. 



In carrying cuttings from place to place, it is best to wrap them in a damp 

 sponge, leaving out the upper leaves, and covering the sponge with oil silk or 



