THE MYRTLE. 85 



By Cuttings. — At any time during the summer take 

 cuttings of the short firm laterals, and insert them in 

 pots of sandy peat, and plunge in a tan-bed, or over a 

 tank with a very mild heat, or cover them with a 

 handlight. 



The Myrtle [Myrtacece). 



The Myrtle is not a climber, but I have brought it 

 under this head because it makes a capital wall plant 

 by training, and the broad-leaved variety flowers 

 splendidly on a wall. In the western counties, about 

 Torquay, &c, the Myrtle flourishes exceedingly as 

 a standard on lawns, &c, where it attains to the 

 size of the Laurestine in the midland and northern 

 counties ; and in some places it luxuriates on walls to 

 an amazing size, growing to as much as 10 or 15 feet 

 high on a wall. No comment is really needed here, for 

 every one knows the Mj'rtle as a pot plant. 



The propagation is by seed and by cuttings. In the 

 month of September take cuttings from the last 

 summer's growth, 2 or at most 3 inches long. Make 

 the cuttings just below the new growth, but not much 

 into the hard wood ; trim off the leaves with a pair of 

 propagating scissors from one-half of it, and make a 

 clean cut at its base with a small fine-edged knife, and 

 then insert them in 5-inch pots filled well up with fine 

 sandv peat, or maiden loam, and pulverised old dung, or 

 leaf-mould of equal parts, together with a little silver 

 sand. Give good drainage to the pot by placing a 

 handful of sittings over the crocks, and fill the pot up 

 to the rim firmly. Then insert the cuttings 1 inch 

 apart all over the pot, letting them into the soil up to 

 the leaves, and close it well round them. 



The proper way is to insert a row all round the pot, 

 close to the pot first, and then fill up the middle so as 

 to give a neatness to it. This holds good in all such 

 cases. When the pot of Myrtle cuttings is filled give 

 them water, and set the pot in a cold frame, or under a 

 handlight. or put a bell-glass over it, plunging the pot 



