£. laurifulia, and Chrysantheinum sinaise. 457 



stem may be split, if near the bottom, where the wood is hard 

 and well ripened, for this part of the stem will root even 

 without the assistance of the foliage ; indeed, I find that the 

 top and bottom, that is, the hardest and softest parts of the 

 stem, root more readily than that which is in an intermediate 

 state : but the ripest wood is the best. Having prepared the 

 cuttings, plant them separately in small pots, with the eye or 

 bud just below the surface of the mould, which should be 

 light and sandy, the piece of the stem which forms the cutting 

 being laid flat: then immediately place them under a hand- 

 light on a strong bottom heat, so that the heat under the glass 

 may range from 75° to 80° Fahrenheit, shading regularly 

 when the sun is likely to scorch them, or dry up the moisture ; 

 for they should be kept constantly well watered. In three 

 weeks they will be rooted, when they may be gradually hard- 

 ened, till they will bear a shady part of the stove. Thus from 

 every single stem no less than from twenty to thirty plants 

 may be annually reared ; and if the flowering plants are forced, 

 so as to make them flower twice a year, double that number 

 may be obtained. I have this season propagated upwards of 

 thirty plants from one which was but a last year's cutting.* 



In cultivating the Chrysanthemums, I think the plants best 

 furnished with leaves and flowering stems are obtained from 

 cuttings taken off in the latter end of April or in the beginning 

 of May; as cuttings taken off" at this period, when struck, 

 topped, and trained up with three or four stems, seldom grow 

 higher than from 2 to 2^ ft ; and if planted in a rich com- 

 post, and well supplied with liquid manure, each stem will 

 throw out flowering branches from the bottom, forming hand- 

 some bushy plants. I have, upon plants treated in this man- 

 ner, upwards of twenty-four flowering branches on a single 

 stem ; but many vai'ieties ramify less freely. To obtain very 

 dwarf plants, I have occasionally practised for many years the 

 following method: — On the 1st of August the points of the 

 strongest shoots were taken off" at a joint, about three or four 

 inches in length ; not a leaf was removed, except the bottom 

 one, from the part which was to be inserted into the mould : 

 the cuttings were then immediately planted, separately, in 

 small pots, and placed vuider a hand-light upon a gentle 

 bottom heat. Here they were well watered and shaded, and 



* With regard to the general culture of erythrinas in pots, no person 

 can, I think, go wrong, if he but give them a rich light soil, abundance of 

 water, and plenty of pot room, with a moist atmosphere : these will seldom 

 fail to make them flower freely. When dormant, they should be kept 

 perfectly dry. 



