THE AZALEA. 51 



half ripe, with a heel of the old wood, or at least 

 let a good base of last season's growth be attached to 

 the cutting. Take off as many as will fill a handlight 

 or a pot, as the case may be. This should be done 

 at the end of August or the beginning of September. 

 Trim the leaves off full half-way up the cutting, cut 

 the base of it clean at right angles with a keen- edged 

 trimmer or budding-knife. Cut immediately at the 

 base of the growth, and insert the cuttings in pots, 

 firmly filled with fine sandy peat up to the brim, 

 quite level and firm, placing them 1 inch asunder, and 

 up to the leaves, then close the soil well to the base 

 of the cuttings, using a small stick dibber about the size 

 of a cane. Water them well to settle the soil to the 

 whole, and set the pots on a very mild bottom heat in 

 the propagating-house, pit, tank, or tan-bed, covering 

 the pots with a large bell-glass or handlight. 



They will then strike root within two months or ten 

 weeks, when' air must be given, and finally the light 

 removed altogether, leaving the struck cuttings in the 

 same place for a month, when they may be potted off, 

 and continued in a warm pit or house if of the Indian 

 kinds, and in a cold frame if of the American or Ghent 

 varieties, until the spring, when the hardy sorts may be 

 planted out into beds of peat, and the Indian sorts re- 

 potted into 5-inch pots, and stopped to induce a bushy 

 habit. 



By Seed. — Sow the seed, which is very small, on the 

 surface of seed-pans filled with fine sandy peat, and 

 barely covering it ; set the pans on a mild heat, and 

 lay a flat square of glass on the pan, placing a sheet of 

 paper on the glass to break off the strong sunlight until 

 the seed comes up. When it requires watering, great 

 care is needed in giving it, or these fine seeds are sure 

 to get washed out, and a total failure ensue. The dew- 

 pot must be used for all fine seeds — (see page 100). 



By Layers. — Layering of the Azalea is done in 

 August and September. The stools of the hardy sorts 

 must be planted in peat soil to insure success in 

 layering. 



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