THE ELOEAL WOKLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 83 



joint and its accompanying leaf will suffice. Suppose we have a 

 shoot of a verbena placed in our hands to make the most of it ; we 

 shall first cut it into as many lengths as there are joints, leaving 

 each leaf untouched, and to every joint as much stem as can be got 

 by cutting just over instead of just under the joints. Then with a 

 sharp knife we split each of these joints in half, 30 as to have one 

 bud and leaf to each split portion, and from every one of these we 

 expect a good plant. 



The most convenient way of disposing of the cuttings is to dibble 

 them into shallow pans filled with wet silver-sand, as fast as they 

 are prepared. The best way for those who may have to leave the 

 cuttings in the pans for any time after they have formed roots, is to 

 prepare the pans with crocks for drainage, and over the crocks to 

 spread an inch of chopped moss or peat torn up into small shreds, or 

 cocoa-nut fibre dust, and then fill up to the brim with clean silver- 

 sand. The sand should be quite wet when the cuttings are inserted ; 

 and when they have been regularly dibbled in with the aid of a bit 

 of stick, or with the fingers only, it should be placed where there is 

 a bottom-heat of 60° to 70°. A temperature of 80° is allowable 

 when time is an object, but at 60° better plants may be grown ; in 

 fact, there is generally too much heat used. From the time of 

 putting the cuttings in heat till they begin to grow, the temperature 

 must be steady, and there must be regular supplies of water. But 

 water given carelessly will surely entail losses. Probably the sand 

 will retain sufficient moisture for eight or ten days, without needing 

 to be wetted beyond what reaches it in the process of dewing the 

 leaves. To clew the leaves neatly and timely is one of the most 

 important matters. For the amateur, to whom a few minutes is no 

 object, the best way is to dip a hard brush in water, then hold the 

 brush beside the cuttings, and draw the hand briskly over it. Thi3 

 causes a fine spray to be deposited on the leaves, to prevent flagging ; 

 but if the water is given from the rose of a watering-pot, the 

 cuttings, if small, may be washed out of their places, or may be 

 made too wet. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE RASPBERRY. 



OME of the best varieties of this delicious fruit, that is, 

 possessing quality and productiveness, are to be found 

 among the older kinds. The red and yellow Antwerp 

 are still cultivated to a considerable extent, as also a 

 variety called the double bearing, which produces fruit 

 in the autumn as well as the summer, but the Fastoli or Fibly 

 is the best and most productive of all at present known, the flavour 

 urpassed by none, in size of fruit it excels ; it has also the quali- 

 fication of giving a second crop in the autumn, therefore where this 

 variety is grown, no other need be encouraged, except for mere fancy 

 of change of colour for the table ; then the white or yellow may be 

 called in. 



March. 



