AUG.] THE HOT-HOUSE. 497 



RAISING THE PINE EROM SEED. 



New varieties of the pine may be obtained from seeds, and when 

 such is found in the fruit, which is very uncommon, even in the 

 West Indies, they should be carefully preserved in dry sand till 

 March, when they will vegetate and succeed better than if sown at 

 an earlier period. The pots for this purpose should be then filled to 

 within an inch of their rims, with light rich earth, and plunged into 

 a warm part of the tan-bed for a day or two before sowing the seeds, 

 which should be placed therein, about an inch apart, and covered not 

 more than a quarter of an inch deep. Cover the pots immediately 

 with pieces of glass that will fit the tops very close ; this, by prevent- 

 ing the mould from drying and giving an additional heat to it near 

 the surface, will soon cause the seeds to vegetate. After the plants 

 appear sprinkle them over with water occasionally ; as they advance 

 in size give them increased portions of air and water, and by the 

 time they have five or six leaves, they will be able to withstand the 

 general air of the hot-house. 



By the end of August these seedlings will be grown to a proper 

 size for transplanting ; when they should be put into small pots, filled 

 with the same mould recommended for crowns and suckers on page 

 481 ; and from that time their treatment requires no difference from 

 that of those. 



SHIFTING THE VARIOUS EXOTICS, ETC. 



The beginning of this month is a very proper season for the shift- 

 ing of aloes, sedums, cactuses, mesembryanthemums, and all other 

 succulent exotics ; they will now take fresh root sooner than at any 

 other time of the year; you should at the same time take off any off- 

 sets that may be produced, and plant them into small pots filled with 

 fresh sandy earth, placing them where they may have only the morn- 

 ing sun for ten or twelve days, and observe to refresh them, now and 

 then, with a little water. 



The several kinds of tender exotics that require it, should now be 

 shifted, in order to establish strong and fresh roots before winter ; 

 observing to place them in the shade immediately after, till they shall 

 have recovered the check occasioned by the removal. This work 

 should be performed early in the month; for if they are shifted too 

 late in the season, they do not recover before the cold comes on, 

 which checks their growth, prevents their free rooting, and conse- 

 quently renders them not so well prepared to maintain themselves in 

 winter, as if done at an early period; and many kinds that have 

 stood too long in the same pots without shifting, will have their roots 

 so matted, as to grow mouldy in winter and decay ; which has often 

 been destructive to many choice plants. 



The other plants, which do not require shifting at this season, should 

 have some of the earth taken out of the tops of the pots, if not done 

 last month, and replaced with fresh compost ; this will greatly en- 

 courage their autumn growth, and should not be neglected. 

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