115 
tually damp or rot off, and might possibly injure the 
cutting in so doing. Another advantage of removing 
the leaves is that you can get more of them in a pot or 
box or on the cutting bench without the leaves than with 
them, and the air gets more freely among the cuttings, 
which prevents their damping off until they attain roots 
and become self-supporting. A pet or box of sand, or a 
frame made out of doors in the Fall, will do admirably 
_ to root themin. We always use sand to propagate them 
in, as it does not retain the moisture as long as ordinary 
soil, and on this account they are less liable to damp off 
in sand than if soil was used. A good watering after the 
cuttings are put in to firm the sand around them and 
wash it properly into place, is about all the treatment 
necessary until they are rooted. As soon as rooted they 
should be potted into small pots and grown on as desired. 
if the cuttings are put in during the Fall, care must be 
taken to get them in seon enough to be rooted before 
cold weather, so that they can be potted up and removed 
to safer quarters with the approach of frost, as they will 
not stand any degree of freezing without some injury. 
ENEMIES AND DISEASES. 
The Geranium survives in happy immunity from all 
kinds of disease, and though so infinitely less in propor- 
tion, is as healthy as the forest oak. Its only foe is 
danipness or over moisture in the greenhouse or pit 
through the Winter months. By watering only when 
the plants really need it will help to avert this trouble, 
and a careful removal of all decaying leaves as fast as 
they appear. Where plants are Kept in a pit without 
fire heat, but very little water will be necessary through 
the Winter months, in ‘fact it is a little better to err in 
having them a little too dry than too wet. In mild 
