12 ANTIRRHINUMS AND PENTSTEMONS 



sown, but from June right on to late autumn a fine display 

 will be secured. 



Where large beds or borders are to be filled it is a good 

 plan to plant alternately with autumn-sown and spring- 

 sown plants. Early flowers will thus be obtained from 

 half the plants, the intervening ones adding their quota to 

 a full display ere midsummer. 



By the end of July the autumn-sown plants can be cut 

 back, and will scarcely be missed. Young growths will 

 then throw up, and a second crop of fine blooms will be 

 secured during September and October. 



Propagation by Cuttings. 



The only certain method of perpetuating a particular 

 variety of Antirrhinum without variation of colour is by 

 rooting or striking cuttings, and where one has a special 

 favourite or an exceptionally good variety which it is 

 desired to preserve and increase, this method is the 

 propagation that should be adopted, albeit there is a 

 tendency toward weakening of constitution if one's stock 

 is thus obtained for a number of consecutive years. There 

 is, however, this safeguard, that when a good stock has 

 been raised, and grown quite apart from other varieties, 

 seed may be saved from which a large proportion of 

 plants will prove true. If a few rogues appear they should 

 be pulled up and destroyed, and the true stock may thus 

 be preserved in a robust condition. 



Cuttings should not be made from thick, succulent 

 growths that rise from the base of the plants, the best 

 material being the wiry side-shoots that break out from 

 the main stems after flower-spikes are cut. Hence it is a 

 good plan to cut some of the main spikes while in full 

 bloom, to encourage the side-shoots to break away. When 

 these are about 2 inches long they should be severed from 

 the stem by gently peeling them away by a downward 

 pressure. Just trim off the ragged bark that adheres to 



