S4 Pi\sidcuVs Address. 



arc usually tlic smallest growors, it is astoiiishiag what a uuinbcr of 

 pots can be put into an ordinary sized frame. Care should bo 

 taken, however, that the frame is well glazed, and that there is no 

 drip from the glass, otherwise the plants will not be benefited by 

 the change from the rockery. 



As many of these plants do not live long, it is necessary that 

 young ones should be propagated, either by division, cuttings, or 

 seed. Propagation by division should always be done in spring 

 or early summer, when the plant has commenced growing, as at 

 that season there is less risk of losing it by disturbing the roots 

 than at any other. This is a good plan for the stronger gro wing 

 sorts; but with many plants this system of propagating cannot 

 be adopted without considerable risk ; in these it is better to 

 strike young ones from cuttings. This is usually done during 

 summer and autumn, and they should be protected in a cold frame 

 till they make roots ; when potted separately and kept in the frame 

 as duplicates during the winter, they can be planted out in the 

 rockery to till up blanks in the spring, when they have commenced 

 to make growth. But raising from seed is by far the best, as you 

 not only get more plants, but they are of a more healthy and 

 vigorous habit. Thus the grower of alpine plants should never 

 lose the chance of collecting seed. 



In preparing for seed sowing it is necessary to have the soil fine, 



with a good mixture of sharp sand. When the seed is of a rare kind 



ai-d in small quantity, it is perhaps better to sow in pots in the cold 



frame ; in this case when the pot is filled with light soil, it should be 



firmed down with the bottom of another pot and the surface made 



smooth. The seed is then laid on the top and covered by a 



thin covering of fine soil. Care should be taken not to sow too 



thickly, as it is troublesome to prick the plants off after they are 



sutficiently grown for that purpose; no more soil should be laid 



on the top of the seed than will cover it, as very small seeds are 



frequently lost by putting on too thick a covering. After all is 



finished the pots should be carefully watered with a fine rose. For 



stronger growing plants, where the seed is more abundant, the 



best way is to prepare a bed of fine soil in a cold frame and 



sow in rows, care being taken to put tallies to the different kinds. 



Seed should as a rule be sown in spring, but some sorts, such as 



Primulas, &c,, should be put in whenever the seed is gathered, as 



it gets dry by keeping till spring, and will sometimes not sprout 



for a year or longer ; if sown, however, at once, when the seed 



is ripe, it springs readily. But most seeds germinate well when 



sown the following spring. As soon as the seedlings are large 



enough to handle they should be pricked off into separate pots 



