PROPAGATION OF PLANTS BY CDTTINGS. 101 



enough to touch each other ; the sand is then watered un- 

 til it becomes in the condition of mud, and placed on the 

 shelf of the green-house, or in the window-sill of the sit- 

 ting-room or parlor, fully exposed to the sun, and never 

 shaded. But one condition is essential to success, until 

 the cuttings become rooted the sand must be kept con- 

 tinually saturated, and kept in the condition of mud / if 

 once allowed to dry up, exposed to the sun as they are, 

 the cuttings will quickly wilt, and the whole operation 

 will be defeated. The rules previously laid down for 

 the proper condition of the cuttings are the same in this 

 case, and those for the temperature nearly so ; although, by 

 the saucer system, a higher temperature can be maintained 

 without injury, as the cuttings are in reality placed in 

 water and will not droop at the same temperature as if 

 the sand was kept in the regular condition of moisture 

 maintained in the propagating bench. Still the detached 

 slip, until rooted, will not endure a continuation of exces- 

 sive heat, so that we advise, as we do in the regular meth- 

 od of propagating, that the attempt should not be made 

 to root cuttings in this way, in this latitude, in the months 

 of June, July, or August, unless with plants of a tropical 

 nature. When the cuttings are rooted, they should be 

 potted in small pots, and treated carefully by shading and 

 watering for a few days, as previously directed. 



In many of the operations in floriculture as in vegeta- 

 ble gardening, success or failure depends upon their being 

 done at the proper time, and though it may seem like a 

 needless repetition, I can not too strongly enforce upon 

 the novice the importance of observing the dates that the 

 experience of our best cultivators has shown to be best 

 under our peculiar climate. Whoever in this matter fol- 

 lows the directions of an English work upon horticulture 

 will be sure to fall into difficulties, although its teach- 

 ings may be ex.ictly suited to the English climate. I 

 would here refer to the evils arising from the too common 



