CHAP. xiY VILLA aARDENING 81 



than in spring, as at that time, when the cuttings are plentiful, 

 we have the power of selection, and should take none to stand the 

 winter but those full of healthy vigour. In the spring propagation 

 artificial heat is necessary, and, where large numbers are required, 

 a properly constracted propagating house is desirable, and the best 

 I ever had was a low span-roofed structure partly sunk in the 

 ground, fitted with a wrought-iron tank on one side in direct con- 

 nection with the boiler. The tank was covered with slates, and 

 on the slates was the plunging material, partly sand and partly 

 Cocoa-fibre, the latter substance being specially suitable for things 

 that required rather more time than Verbenas and ordinary bedding 

 stuff". But where only a limited number of plants are required to 

 be rooted in spring for the flower garden, and the usual order of 

 soft-wooded plants for greenhouse, such as Fuchsias, etc., a hotbed 

 and frame will answer every purpose, and if it commands a bottom 

 heat of 75° it will meet every requirement. 



The month of March is a good time to begin propagating, as by 

 that time plenty of nice fresh shoots can be obtained to form 

 cuttings, and the fresher and softer they are the better they will 

 root. The cuttings need not be large, as in spring the growth is 

 rapid, and every bit will strike ; but granting all this, still the 

 stronger and healthier the cuttings, the better and more vigorous 

 the plants will be as a rule. I have often, in the case of new 

 things, pushed them severely, with the view of increasing stock 

 rapidly; but when this forcing process is carried to extremes, 

 debility is often present in the offspring. The soil for spring 

 propagating should be light and sandy, and pressed firmly in the 

 pots. Bedding plants may be propagated in spring in a wholesale 

 way by just dibbling the cuttings into beds of soil placed over a 

 gentle hotbed under frames. The cuttings will root in a week, and 

 in the second week the tops may be taken off" and planted in another 

 frame which is coming on in succession ; and when a sufficient stock 

 has been created, the whole can be hardened oft" by removal of the 

 glass in the daytime, and about the third week in May the plants 

 can be carefully separated and planted into the beds and borders. 

 This is a very inexpensive way of raising large numbers of plants, 

 and they will commonly succeed better in the beds than those that 

 have been starved and pinched in pots. 



■Wintering Bedding Plants. — Light, well-ventilated houses 

 are best for wintering plants which only require to be preserved 

 from frost and damp, and the nearer the glass the stages and shelves 

 are the better. In mild calm weather, it is hardly possible to 

 give too much air, and only sufficient fire must be used to keep out 

 frost. A boiler and hot-water pipes are usually recommended for 



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