110 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



bench," and is probably one of the minute fungi of which 

 we have so many representatives. The best preventive 

 of this disease, as it is sometimes called, is, just as soon 

 as the seedling plants can be handled, to take them from 

 the seed-boxes, and prick them out in boxes of simi- 

 lar mould, from one-half to two inches apart, accord- 

 ing to the variety. This is a much better method than 

 that of potting them off in flower-pots, as it not only 

 saves time and room, but they always do better. In the 

 flower-pots they are liable to be dried up. and the tender 

 roots of the seedling plant quickly destroyed. 



We use these shallow boxes largely for pricking off cut- 

 tings from our propagating benches, instead of potting 

 them off, particularly such plants as are wanted for stock 

 to be planted out in the open ground, as, after being 

 rooted in the cutting bench and planted out in these 

 shallow boxes, they can there remain, occupying less 

 space, and in every respect growing as well as if in pots. 

 Carnations and Roses we work largely in this way. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



PROPAGATION BY SEEDS. WHAT VARIETIES COME 

 TRUE FROM SEEDS ? 



An intelligent correspondent asks the question given 

 above. He queries still farther and says : " An Apple 

 seed produces an Apple tree, but a Baldwin Apple seed 

 will not produce a Baldwin Apple tree. Wheat of any 

 variety produces the same ; seed of a scarlet variety of 

 Verbena will not always produce its like. Why 'this 

 anomaly ?" The " why" of the matter cannot be told, 

 but a few general rules may be useful. Seeds of plants 



