PROPAGATION OF PLANTS BY CUTTINGS. 127 



again begin. As an additional preventive against the 

 ravages of the "fungus of the cutting bench," we take 

 the precaution to scrape off an inch of the sand, after 

 taking out each batch of cuttings, and replace it with 

 fresh sand, and, at least twice each season, we remove the 

 sand that has been in use, wash the benches with hot 

 lime wash and replace with fresh sand, thus, as far as 

 possible, destroying the spores or germs of the fungus. 



The temperature is prevented from rising in the house 

 in various ways, some using canvas, or bast matting, or 

 syringing the glass with a mixture of naphtha and white 

 lead, made about the color and consistency of thin skim 

 milk. We find, however, the best and most convenient 

 shading to be that formed by flexible screens made of 

 common lath, planed and attached together like Vene- 

 tian blinds, the laths being an inch or so apart. These 

 can be quickly rolled or unrolled, and give an ever vary- 

 ing modified shade, sufficiently cooling to the house, yet 

 not darkening the cutting enough to impair its vigor. 

 These are not unrolled in the morning until the temper- 

 ature inside indicates it to be necessary (usually about 

 nine o'clock), and are rolled up in the afternoon as soon 

 as the sun ceases to shine on the glass, for it is of the 

 utmost importance that the cuttmgs receive as much 

 light as they will bear without becoming wilted. An ob- 

 jection to these screens, however, is their expense, as they 

 cost about ten cents per square foot. 



The time required by cuttings to root varies from eight 

 to twenty days, according to the variety, condition of the 

 cutting and the temperature. Verbenas, Fuchsias or 

 Heliotropes, when in proper condition, and kept without 

 ever being allowed to wilt, will root, in an average bottom 

 heat of sixty-five degrees, in eight days, while Roses, 

 Pelargoniums or Petunias will take at least double that 

 time under the same conditions. 



It is best to pot off the cuttings, when rooted, at once, 



