324 PEACTICAL GARDENING 



new shoots may be taken — "when they are an inch, or from 

 that to two inches long — close to their base, and be placed 

 in bottom heat, in the shade, or be artificially shaded with 

 paper ; and the most convenient way is to cover them with 

 a bell-glass that may touch the soil all round, to shut out the 

 air and draughts, and lay paper over them to form the shade. 

 In this case, the soil must be kept moist, and the glasses 

 wiped dry every morning, and occasionally, on dull days they 

 may be left off for an hour. In our own place we have a 

 table or shelf at the lowest part of the roof, with a hot water 

 tank under it, and we place the cutting-pots and pans on it, 

 throw a mat on that part of the roof, and use no glasses at 

 all ; they strike as freely as they would with the greatest 

 pains. The mass is only put in while the sun is out, and 

 the cuttings have the benefit of full daylight both before the 

 sun is up and after it has set. Most things root in a few 

 days, and we use the same means all the winter to strike all 

 our greenhouse and frame cuttings, and afterwards gradually 

 inure them to a cooler climate. When cuttings are rooted 

 they should be potted single into small pots, and as they are 

 filled -with, roots change them to larger ones. This operation 

 has to be repeated as long as we desire the growth to con- 

 tinue, for even the largest specimens must be shifted into 

 larger pots so long as we desire to grow them in health and 

 strength. The only rule for this is the filling of the present 

 pots with roots ; and if they happen to be near blooming, so 

 that it would be unwise to disturb them for a time, give them 

 a watering with liquid manure, made by dissolving a spadeful 

 of rotten manure in about six gallons of water, well stirred 

 three or four times during two days, and use the clear water 

 after settling. This will give a fresh impetus to the soil 

 already there, and let them bear the shift afterwards. 



Greenhouse Perennials only differ from those of the 

 stove in the temperature they require. The same modes of 

 propagating will answer in both cases, but in the greenhouse 

 we have many plants that are propagated by grafting, such as 

 camellias, corraeas, and the ID^e. The single or worthless 

 sorts being more robust, form excellent stocks on which to 

 graft the better and weaker sorts, which derive far more 

 nourishment from the strong stock than they would from 

 their own roots if struck as cuttings. The reason is this, — 

 the stock may be two years old in strong growth, and any 



