III.] THE AMERICAN GARDENER. 65 



of them forth, or the increasing- and multiplying 

 of them. This is effected in several different ways : 

 by seed, by suckers, by offsets, by layers, by 

 cuttings. But, bear in mind, that all plants, from 

 the Radish to the Oak, may be propagated by the 

 means of seed ; while there are many plants which 

 can be propagated by no other means ; and, of 

 these, the Radish and the Oak are two. Let me 

 just qualify, here, by observing, that I enter not 

 into the deep question (which so many have puz- 

 zled their heads with) of equivocal generation. I 

 confine myself to things of which we have a cer- 

 tain knowledge. 



With regard to Propagation by means other than 

 that of seed, I shall speak of it fully enough under 

 the names of the several plants, which are, as to 

 the way of propagating them, to be considered as 

 exceptions to the general rule. Therefore, I shall, 

 in the present Chapter, treat of propagation by 

 seed only. 



126. CULTIVATION must, of course, differ in some 

 respects, to suit itself to certain differences in the 

 plants to be cultivated ; but, there are some prin- 

 ciples and rules, which apply to the cultivation of 

 all plants ; and it is of these only that I propose to 

 speak in the present Chapter. 



127. It is quite useless, indeed it is grossly ab- 

 surd, to prepare land, and to incur trouble and ex- 

 pense, without duly, and even very carefully, at- 

 tending to the seed that we are going to sow. The 

 svrt, the genuineness, the soundness, are all mat- 

 ters to be attended to, if we mean to avoid morti- 

 fication and loss. Therefore, the first thing is, the 



SORT OF SEED. 



128. We should make sure here ; for, what a loss 

 o have late cabbages instead of early ones ! As to 



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