GARDEN IRRIGATION ITS ADVANTAGES AND LIMITS. 33 



had potted seven hundred, and had rooted five hundred caruations 

 with no faihires to speak of. 



Mr. Philbriek thought that the last speaker miglit fairly claim to 

 understand the theory of propagating by cuttings, and the use ot 

 bottom heat. For tender seeds, such as cucumbers, the earth 

 should be kept at a temperature of about 70° ; for lettuce at about 

 50°, and for radishes at a little less. A cutting is a plant in an 

 unmatured state, and we want to stimulate the production of roots 

 before leaves ; after that is effected it will grow anywhere. If the 

 leaves are not removed when the cutting is made, the plants will go 

 before j'ou know it. 



Mr. Merriam understood that the object of bottom heat was to 

 furnish a stimulus to the cutting ; but the question is, how much to 

 each plant, and to the same plant or cutting in different conditions 

 of maturity-, for it will require different treatment under different 

 circumstances, i. e., of maturity. Ripened wood, it is generally 

 thought, will not bear as much bottom heat as soft wood. For green 

 cuttings of roses a bottom heat of 50°, and overhead 45°, is right. 



Ml-. Strong, as Chairman of the Committee on Discussion, an- 

 nounced that next week Mr. Philbriek would read a paper on 

 " Irriaation." 



MEETING FOR DISCUSSION. 



Saturday, Januar}- 26, 1878. 



A meeting for discussion was holden at 11 o'clock. President 

 Gray in the cliair. 



The following essa}', for which a gratuity was awarded by the 

 Committee, was read by the author, William D. Philbriek : 



Garden Irrigation — Its Advantages and Limits. 



The watering of gardens has been practised from the most 

 ancient times of which we have any authentic record, to the present 

 day ; in fact, the beginning of irrigation dates back much earlier 

 than authentic history. It was practised by the ancient Egyptians 

 long before Herodotus described their wonderful water-works, and 

 Damascus, the oldest city of the world, owes the very existence of 

 5 



