PROPAGATION 33 



the assistance of a frame or frame-light at all, providing 

 the soil in the cutting bed is kept moist, and the cuttings 

 well shaded to prevent undue withering. 



During their occupation of the propagating bed or 

 frame, the cuttings should be gone over from time to 

 time, and the soil well firmed either with the fingers or 

 with the edge of a board pressed down between the 

 rows (the former method being the better), to make 

 good any dislodgment which may have occurred owing to 

 worm casts, frosts, etc. If this is not attended to, the 

 cuttings or plants are extremely liable to be lifted out 

 of the soil altogether and ultimately perish. A liberal 

 sprinkling of sand between the rows will help to keep 

 the worms under. 



Carefully label each variety as it is dealt with, and, to 

 avoid mistakes, allow a separate row for each kind. 



Have a system when propagating ; that is to say, 

 have separate frames for, or keep separate in some way, 

 the various types Pansies, Violas and Violettas. If 

 possible, keep seedling varieties of these in a separate 

 propagating frame ; and finally, only propagate the best 

 varieties. 



Cuttings may also be rooted in boxes or seed pans. 

 Holes should be made in the bottom of the former, and, 

 these properly crocked, and covered with the rougher 

 siftings of the compost, to allow of drainage. They 

 have no room to develop in these boxes or pans, 

 however, and they should be transferred to the open 

 ground as soon as possible, to allow their roots to 

 develop. 



PROPAGATION BY DIVISION OF THE OLD PLANTS 



The best time of the year in which to make use of 

 this method of propagation is undoubtedly the Spring. 

 It is at this time that the plants are waking from their 

 c 



