JAN.] THE HOT-HOUSE. 113 



roots, planting one good plant in each pot always observing to 

 choose those of two or three years old and which are full of bearers. 

 Place these pots towards the front of the hot-house, near the 

 glasses, and let them have .water frequently, especially when they 

 are in blossom and setting young fruit, but observing at these times 

 not to water too freely over the flowers for fear of washing off the 

 impregnating farina, giving it chiefly to the earth in the pots. 



OF FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE HOT-HOUSE. 



You may now introduce into this department many kinds of 

 flowering plants, to be forced into bloom at an early season, such as 

 honeysuckles, African heaths, double-flowering dwarf almonds, and 

 cherries, &c ', also pots of pinks, carnations, daisies, double sweet- 

 williams, rockets, wall and stock-gilly flowers, &c., and pots or 

 glasses of any kind of bulbous roots, planted either in earth or 

 water, may also be introduced, with a variety of curious annual 

 flowers, which may be sown in pots and forwarded there to early 

 perfection. 



RAISING PLANTS AND CUTTINGS. 

 Pig. 12. 



Many shrubs and plants that are difficult to raise by cuttings may 

 be increased by layers. A layer may be defined as a cutting only 

 partially separated from the plant. The branch is bent down to the 

 ground, and, at the bend, a cut is made half through the shoot, cut- 

 ting upwards for about half an inch. Some plants do as well as if 

 the shoot is twisted at the bend ; anything to check the flow of sap 

 will cause a root formation. The figure shows the appearance of a 

 layer. The line at 1 represents the surface. At 2, the cut part is 

 shown, and strong branches will require to be kept in place by a 

 stout peg, as here represented. Nearly all plants, even fir-trees, may 

 be increased by this practice. 



