126 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



ing a healthy stock, which the close or high temperature 

 system would fail to do in the case of many plants. I have 

 often heard propagators boasting of rooting cuttings in 

 five days. I am well aware that this may be done, but I am 

 also aware that it is often done in damp and cloudy 

 weather at the risk of the whole crop, and it must be done 

 at a high temperature, which at all times causes the 

 plants to draw up slender, and thus impairs their vitality. 



FUNGUS OF THE CUTTING BENCH. 



Permitting a moderate circulation of air in the propa- 

 gating house, tends to prevent the germination of that 

 spider-web-like substance, which, for want of a better 

 term, is known among gardeners as the " fungus of the 

 cutting bench." Every one who has had any experience 

 in propagating knows the baneful effects of this ; how 

 that, in one night, it will often sweep off thousands of 

 cuttings that a few hours before were in heathful vigor. 

 But this dangerous enemy of the propagator requires, 

 like vegetation of higher grades, conditions suitable to its 

 development, which are a calm atmosphere, and a tem- 

 perature above sixty degrees at night, or seventy degrees 

 in day-time. Hence, to avoid this pest, we make every 

 effort, by shading, airing and regulation of fire heat, to 

 keep the atmosphere of the house so that it shall not ex- 

 ceed fifty-five degrees at night, with ten degrees higher in 

 day-time. This, of course, is not practicable when the 

 outside temperature in the shade is above sixty degrees, 

 but the temperature can be reduced considerably by dash- 

 ing water on the pathways and other parts of the house. 

 It is rarely, however, that the outside temperature ever 

 exceeds sixty degrees at night for any length of time in 

 the vicinity of New York before the middle of May, and 

 all propagating had better be finished previous to that 

 time, unless of tropical plants. In the fall months, about 

 the middle of September, operations in propagating may 



