146 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



already, we refer our readers for information on this point to the first 

 section of the second division of this essay, where ample instructions 

 are given how to raise a botbed. It will not be necessary, however, 

 to have one of such a height for propagation as was used for forcing ; 

 for besides the lesser, amount of heat required for the former, the 

 season will also contribute considerably in this respect, indeed a 

 gentle bottom-heat is all that is requisite. Having prepared the dung 

 as before, erect a bed, say about three feet in height, and treat it in 

 every respect as was recommended in the first instance, lift on the 

 frame, and the bed is ready for use. It will not be necessary on this 

 occasion to make the bed so much larger than the frame, as at this 

 season the exterior margin will not be in such requisition as it was in 

 the spring ; the whole dimensions of the bed must not therefore be 

 above ten or twelve inches wider than the frame all round. 



Before proceeding to treat of the different plants which are in- 

 tended to be propagated, we shall devote our attention for a little to 

 the subject of propagation generally, and more especially to the way 

 of making cuttings. The first object to be gained is to procure a 

 number of clean flower-pots, five inches wide at the top ; another 

 matter of importance is to procure some fine, sandy, turfy loam, 

 sandy peat, and leaf-mould, and also half a bushel of fine, sharp, 

 gritty, silver sand. The compost which will be found suitable for the 

 generality of plants will be one-third of the loam, a third of the peat, 

 and a third of leaf-mould, and the whole made sufficiently open and 

 porous with a due proportion of the silver sand. These should be 

 placed upon a bench and well incorporated ; the loam and peat 

 chopped up with all the turf together in one mass. Procure also a 

 quantity of potsherds, of which the gardener has generally more than 

 he requires ; place one large piece over the hole in the pot, and fill 

 up with them to about an inch in thickness ; then place a layer of 

 moss about another inch in thickness, over which fill the pot with 

 the compost to within about one inch of the surface, to which 

 fill up with the silver sand. Let the pots be now watered with a pot 

 having a very fine rose, for the purpose of consolidating the sand ; 

 the pots will then be ready for the cuttings. 



We shall now turn our attention to the mode of making the cut- 

 tings ; but as this varies according to the plant that it is intended to 

 propagate, we shall confine our remarks for the present to cuttings 

 generally, leaving any peculiarities to be treated of when we notice 

 the plants themselves. The best and the only wood for making 

 cuttings is the extremities of the growing shoots. These wheu taken 

 from the plant should have at least four joints to them; but if the 

 shoot is long and tender, it may be taken oft" of such a length as to 

 supply in some cases two or even three cuttings. We shall suppose, 

 however, for the sake of illustration, that the extremity of a shoot 

 with four joints has been selected for the purpose of making a 

 cutting; the first thing to be done is to remove the two lower leaves, 

 which are situated at the lowest joint (in some plants there is but 

 one leaf), leaving only about the sixteenth part of an inch of the leaf- 

 stalk remaining. Then cut off the tip just under the topmost joint, 

 there will then be only three joints left, the lowest and the two 



