450 THE PLEASURE, OR [JUNE 



rendered rather compact than otherwise; then take a hand or bell- 

 glass, and with it mark its dimensions on the surface of the soil, in 

 order to know where to stick in the pipings, so as to lose no room, 

 or endanger their being disturbed when the glass is placed over 

 them. 



The cuttings intended to be piped are to have two complete joints, 

 that is to say, they are to be cut off horizontally close under the 

 second joint; the extremities or points of the leaves are likewise to 

 be shortened as for laying, which will leave the whole length of the 

 piping about two inches; as soon as thus prepared they may be thrown 

 into a basin of soft water for a few minutes to plump. They are 

 then to be taken out of the basin singly, and forced into the earth 

 in their wet state not more than an inch deep, and about two inches 

 asunder every way. 



When a sufficient number for the glass are thus placed regularly, 

 they are to be very gently watered, in order that the earth may ad- 

 here more closely to them, and thereby keep out the air; after this 

 watering they are to remain open, but not exposed to the sun, till 

 their leaves become perfectly dry, after which the glass is to be placed 

 over them carefully, in the same mark that was made by it on the 

 surface of the soil before the insertion of the pipings. 



The bottom edges of the glass, or glasses, are to be forced a little 

 into the earth to keep out the influence of the external air, and to 

 preserve a moist atmosphere about the pipings, till their young 

 radicles are established and begin to act; for if fully exposed to the 

 air before that period, it would carry off from the leaves, &c., a 

 greater portion of juices than the young plants could, for the present, 

 extract from the earth, and consequently they must perish thereby. 

 This is the particular reason why cuttings of every kind succeed 

 better when thus treated than when left exposed to the influence of 

 the weather. 



The pipings should have a little of the morning sun, but must be 

 .shaded from it when the heat increases; this will easily be effected 

 by placing mats upon a slight frame of hoops or laths, erected over 

 the bed, about two feet above it. 



The glasses should be occasionally taken off, for half an hour at 

 .a time, early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, to admit fresh 

 air ; if this material point is neglected, the consequence will be a 

 .green mossy appearance on the surface of the earth, and a universal 

 inouldiness amongst the plants which will destroy them. 



When the fibres are formed, which the additional verdure and 

 growth of the plants will demonstrate, the glasses should be placed 

 over them very lightly, in order that more air be admitted; and 

 when they become tolerably well rooted, the glasses being no longer 

 necessary, should be entirely taken away ; continue to water them 

 frequently, but moderately, as they progress in growth, and for their 

 further treatment see the flower garden for next month. 



Some sorts of carnations succeed much better by piping than 

 laying, and make healthier plants: This is particularly the case with 

 the remontants, but it requires attention and experience to distinguish 



