APRIL] THE HOT-HOUSE. 371 



PROPAGATING GREEN-HOUSE PLANTS BY CUTTINGS, SUCKERS AND 

 LAYERSj ETC. 



There are few shrubby plants but may be propagated by layers ; 

 these should be laid in the pots or tubs, agreeably to the methods 

 directed on page 300. 



Suckers may now be taken off where they appear, and be planted 

 in separate pots, or several small ones in the same pot. 



The far greater number of all the green-house plants may now be 

 plentifully propagated by cuttings or slips; such as laurustinus, 

 myrtles, geraniums, balm of Gilead, and all the fuchsias, jasmines, 

 gardenias, hydrangeas, English and Portugal laurels ; oleanders, pas- 

 sion-flowers, justicias, lagerstrcemia, heliotropiums, coronillas and 

 melianthuses; acuba, and camellia japonica, buddleias, solanums, teu- 

 criums, proteas, and salvias, with almost every other kind, if planted 

 in hot-beds, and carefully shaded and watered. Such as do not root 

 freely should have bell-glasses placed over them in the hot-bed till 

 rooted ; this is the most effectual way to insure the growth of many 

 hard-wooded kinds. 



The roots of herbaceous kinds may now be separated and planted 

 in different pots for increase ; the succulent kinds may also be pro- 

 pagated by slips, cuttings, and suckers, such as cactuses, stapelias, 

 mesembryanthemums, &c. The succulent sorts should not be planted 

 for a. few days after having been taken off, that the wounds may 

 heal ; during which time, they may lie on a shelf in the green- 

 house, and when fit, plant them in pots of good sandy earth. 



The young orange and lemon stocks, raised last year for budding, 

 should now, if not done before, be planted into separate and suitable 

 sized pots ; and if then plunged in a hot-bed till they have taken 

 fresh root, it will greatly promote their growth. Some of the strong- 

 est will probably be of sufficient size to bud in August, and all of 

 them at that time twelve months. 



CAPE BULBS. 



Many of the cape bulbs, mentioned on page 175, will be now in 

 flower ; they should all be kept in the front parts of the green-house, 

 and have plenty of air, without which they will spindle up and never 

 show either strong or brilliant flowers ; such as are in blow, how- 

 ever, are, when the sun shines too powerfully on them, to be, for the 

 moment, removed out of its rays, or it will facilitate their decline. 



THE HOT-HOUSE. 



PINE APPLES. 



In this month it will be easy to distinguish which of the pines 

 are likely to produce the best fruit : this is not always common to 



