72 A GUIDE TO FLORICULTURE. 



eral ways of propagating these plants ; in the first place by 

 seeds, and the best time to sow them is early in the spring 

 or late in the fall, the dry weather of the summer being 

 rather severe for seedlings of this species of plants unless 

 very careful. The seeds should be sown in a pan or box 

 of light rich soil, with a good drainage; they should 

 not be covered; the soil should be kept moist, and as soon 

 as the seedlings have formed a few leaves should be potted 

 off into two inch pots, and when you discover the pot filled 

 with roots shift them into a pot one size larger ; in like 

 manner shift into one of four inch, which will be large 

 enough to flower in. I have generally found the seed sav- 

 ed in this country does not germinate well. I would recom- 

 mend imported seed, not only for the sake of their vegetative 

 properties, but you may in all probability secure some new 

 hybrid, as the nurserymen in Europe raise such vast num- 

 bers in the same green-house that the chance of crossing is 

 decidedly greater than with us, where our collection is lim- 

 ited. This plant is easily cultivated by slips taken off at 

 any season ; the most judicious time is September, as these 

 cuttings will make good flowering plants the following 

 spring. The roots of many of this variety, if allowed to die 

 down, will spring up again ; and can sometimes be divid- 

 ed. It must be remembered that these plants, though easily 

 cultivated, are extremely tender and soon destroyed by frost. 

 When your plants have done flowering they should be placed 

 in the shade, and give no more water than to keep them 

 from flagging ; ox you may plant them in the open ground, 

 which will save much trouble, until you take off your cut 

 tings in the fall. The soil best adapted for their culture is 



