ON PBOPAGATING THE CAPE heaths. 127 



siderable portion of fine white shining sand in it, or, if deficient 

 in this material, it should be added to it by the cultivator. 



As the seeds are very small, the mould for this purpose, to the 

 thickness of an inch and a half, should be sifted very fine, and 

 the surface of the mould in the pot rendered smooth and level 

 with a small circular piece of wood, say of three inches diameter, 

 having a nail driven into the centre of its upper surface, by which 

 the operator can use it to much greater advantage. Upon the 

 surface so prepared, the seeds should be thinly sown regularly all 

 over it, and covered with the same kind of mould to the thick- 

 ness of one-eighth of an inch, more or less, according to the size 

 of the seeds, as some are larger than others. The pots so sown 

 should be then placed upon the platform in the seed-house, or 

 upon a floor (if in frames) of finely-sifted coal-ashes, and after 

 being gently watered with a very fine rose watering-pot, be 

 shaded from the sun. This shading must be continued constantly 

 on during sun-shine, until the plants be from half an inch to an 

 inch high ; afterwards it must be gradually removed to harden 

 them by degrees, to fit them for potting off into separate pots. 

 Some cultivators place bell or hand-glasses over the seed-pots 

 when sown, and when such can be spared, they may be with 

 some propriety used. For five or six weeks, the surface of the 

 mould must never be allowed to become dry, but be daily ex- 

 amined, at the end of which time, the seeds may be expected to 

 have vegetated. When such is the case, the bell or hand-glasses 

 should be gradually removed, first by being lifted up about a 

 quarter of an inch, and in increasing this air, until entirely re- 

 moved. Some seeds of course do not vegetate so soon as others, 

 therefore the pots should be still carefully attended to ; but if 

 after three months, or little more, all hope of their vegetating 

 may be given up. Plants, so originated, will be about the middle 

 or end of September in a fit state to plant out into thumb or 

 thimble pots, as they are called, and which are the smallest sizes 

 that arc made. 



Heaths which ripen their seeds in this country, should be sown 

 as soon as they are ripe, provided this does not occur after the 

 first of September ; such as ripen afterwards (and several do so) 

 had better be kept packed up in paper till the following April, 

 when they may be sown as above directed. Plants originated at 

 this time will be sufficiently strong by autumn to pot off; and it is 

 even better then to pot off such as are very small, than allow 



