THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 43 



particular shoot is in a fit state for thepurpose of propagation, and even 

 then the subject could not ue so well explained as by a few practical 

 investigations under the assistance of a proficient. As it has been 

 observed that the cuttings from a collection of Heaths are obtained 

 progressively, it follows that the propagator's operations must be 

 regulated thereby. The earliest struck plants, like the early sown 

 seeds, will be fit for potting off the same season, and by giving 

 them a liberal shift early in the following season, beautiful plants 

 will be produced by the autumn ; whereas, cuttings inserted later in 

 the season had better remain in their cutting-pots during winter, 

 a^ by potting off late in the autumn no advance will be gained, and 

 a risk incurred of losing them in the winter from their not being 

 established in their pots. 



In preparing cuttings, select pots like those described for seed, 

 and prepare them in a similar manner, with this exception — on the 

 top of the fine, sandy peat, place about half an inch of white sand, 

 clean and sharp, leaving a quarter of an inch of the pot not filled. 

 Then press the whole moderately firm, water with a fine rose, and 

 place the pot aside during the preparation of the cuttings. Having 

 selected them as previously described, with a sharp knife or pair of 

 thin-bladed scissors cut away the foliage from the base of the shoot 

 upwards, till you have arrived half an inch above the part intended 

 to be the base of the cutting ; then with your knife separate the 

 cutting from the other part by a diagonal incision, which is less 

 liable to injure the tissues of the cutting than separating it hori- 

 zontally. A perfectly smooth and uninjured base is essential to 

 success. With a small dibble insert your cuttings the depth of the 

 sand ; place over the whole a bell-glass, having previously, before 

 the insertion of the cuttings, given the whole a slight watering ; 

 plunge the pot in a cool, shady situation, and wipe the moisture 

 from the glass often. If in a mouth or so after the insertion of the 

 cuttings you could give them the assistance of a gentle bottom-heat, 

 the emission of roots will be accelerated. As the pei-iods of rooting 

 of the different species vary much — from five or six weeks to as 

 many months — the quick-growing kinds and those of an opposite 

 character should have separate pots. 



GBAFTING-. 



[HIS is one of the nicest operations that can engage the 

 attention of gardeners, and generally carries them on- 

 ward through the spring months full of anticipation; it 

 has been successfully performed during midsummer, as 

 well as in spring, although the following remarks bear 

 principally upon the latter course. 



About the middle or end of February, select the grafts or scions 

 from shoots of one year's growth, reducing their length to six or 

 eight inches, keeping each sort separate ; put them into the ground, 

 there to remain until the sap shall have become active in the stocks 



February. 



