16 ON THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 



is desired to propagate any particular kind by cuttings, an old shabby 

 plant should be picked out for the purpose ; and if an inhabitant of 

 the greenhouse, taken about Christmas into the stove, that it may 

 produce its young shoots early; and when grown to a sufficient 

 length (say from one and a half to two inches), taken back to its own 

 department to harden a little, and ripened more or less, as required. 

 From Christmas to the end of April is the best time to increase by 

 cuttings, as then the plants can root, and be potted off, in time to 

 stand the winter season with success ; but it sometimes happens that 

 the desired kinds are late before they produce fitting shoots, especially 

 those that strike best from fully ripened cuttings ; these must, how- 

 ever, be put in when arrived at a proper state, and if they do not 

 happen to have rooted sufficiently for potting till late in autumn, it 

 would be best to defer potting them off in separate pots till early the 

 following spring, but this must be left to the judgment of the propa- 

 gator, as many kinds are apt to become wing-rooted, if left too long 

 before they are potted off. Previous to commencing the operation, a 

 sufficient quantity of pots (same size as recommended for seedlings), 

 must be prepared after the following manner : — After a large piece of 

 broken pot and potsherds have been put into the pot as already directed, 

 fill it level with "the top with fine clear sand in a moist stale, and 

 made as firm as it possibly can be with the hand, to exclude as much 

 air as possible from the base of the cutting. In preparing the cut- 

 tings, care must be taken not to take any more leaves off than are 

 requisite ; for the more leaves a cutting has on it the sooner it will 

 root. The shallower cuttings are put in, so as they are well fastened, 

 the better they will root ; for if planted deep, they are more likely to 

 rot or damp off. The part planted in the sand should have its leaves 

 taken off as close to the stem as possible without injuring it. From 

 half an inch to an inch and a quarter may be considered the medium 

 length to be inserted. Ericas, Epacris, Diosmas, Brunias, and all 

 such fine-leaved delicate kinds, should be planted no deeper than ab- 

 solutely necessary; but cuttings of Pittosporum, Pomederris, and 

 such like hardy-leaved woody kinds, may be put in a little deeper. 

 After the cuttings are prepared, and well fastened in the pots of sand, 

 give a gentle watering ; and when the moisture has dried off the 

 leaves of the cuttings, place the bell-glass over them, and remove 

 them to their respective situations — the stove kinds to a moist heat, 

 plunged in a bark or dung bed ; the greenhouse kinds to the front 



