EXOTIC FLOWERS AND PLANTS. 193 



The pots are filled in the ordinary way, the finest 

 of the loam at top; the seeds are sown thin, or 

 thickly, according to their size, and in depth ac- 

 cording to the nature of the plant. Some vegetate 

 sooner, by being soaked two or three hours in 

 water; others having very hard shells, as Nelum- 

 bium and other aquatics, should have the points 

 of their shells filed off before they are put into 

 their pans of mud and water ; but the generality 

 need no such preparation. They require a smart 

 bottom heat to start them ; some will be up in the 

 course of a week, others will remain for twelve 

 months before they vegetate ; and such should 

 not be rashly thrown away, till it is ascertained 

 by examination that they are really dead. This 

 precaution is particularly necessary in regard of 

 nuts. 



When any are advanced so far as to be fit to 

 handle, they should be put singly into the smallest 

 sized pots, and again plunged in heat. Atten- 

 tion should be given not to over-pot them, i. e. 

 by placing them in over-large pots. It has been 

 already observed, in speaking of layers and cut- 







