PROPAGATION. 75 



Sow the seed in deep pans that contain g;ood 

 drainage in a rich loam ; never let the soil at any time 

 become dry, and try, also, never to let the temperature 

 fall below 50 degrees at night. 



A good compost will be found to be one part of 

 turfy loam, one part well-decayed leaf-mould, and about 

 half a part silver sand. This should be well mixed 

 and passed through a fine sieve. The seeds should be 

 sown with care, not over close together, and about 

 half an inch beneath the surface, which should then be 

 covered with a thin layer of silver sand and watered 

 with a fine rose. Keep the pots or pans as close to 

 the glass as possible, and spray every morning, never 

 letting the soil at any time become dry. 



The seedlings will appear by March, and will need 

 very careful tending. After each spraying remove all 

 drops of water that have lodged on their small leaves 

 with a brush. Many growers like to transplant the 

 seedlings as soon as they appear, and before the leaves 

 are formed, into small pots, 6o's in preference, but 

 they may be left in the pans if wished. However, 

 since much seed will often fail to germinate for perhaps 

 another twelve months, it might be wisest to trans- 

 plant at this early stage of growth ; therefore, repot 

 into large 6o's, and later into 48's. Keep all the 

 plants close to the glass, and when the month of June 

 is well in harden off, so that when July comes round 

 they may be planted out in the open. By October they 

 will be quite strong plants, and buds and grafts may be 

 secured for potted-up briars. 



Many seedlings die after the first year or soon after 

 flowering, and it is ever wise to secure the first possible 

 buds or grafts, so that the grower may not be disap- 

 pointed. However, it needs expert knowledge to 

 manipulate such small material, and an experienced 

 hand should be called in to perform the delicate opera- 

 tions of budding and grafting at so early a stage, 

 unless it may be that the amateur is confident of his 

 own powers. 



