140 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



must be watered through a fine rose, sufficient being used to settle every- 

 thing in its place, after which shade the plants for a few days until the 

 roots recover from the check sustained during transplanting. When 

 the young plants crowd each other either put them into small pots or 

 plant them out. 



In the case of seedlings of strong growing plants, such as Cannas, no 

 pricking off will be necessary, the young plants being simply trans- 

 ferred from the pots or pans in which they have been sown and potted 

 singly into small pots. 



The process known as 



Hardening off that is, gradually inuring plants to changes of 

 condition and of temperature is of great importance, for if plants grown 

 under glass and partially shaded are suddenly transferred to the open 

 ground they are sure to suffer, while if the change is gradual they will 

 not be affected. In the case of seedlings that have been raised in the 

 greenhouse for planting out in the open ground later on, take advantage 

 of a dull or showery day for the work, as then they quickly recover 

 from the check occasioned by removal. 



Cuttings. Many plants can be propagated by cuttings, and though 

 some require different treatment from others, a few simple rules will 

 general suffice to achieve success. As the cuttings when separated from 

 the parent plant quickly flag if fully exposed to the air, a small frame 

 is necessary, air-tight, or nearly so, and fitted with glass lights. This, 

 which is usually like an ordinary garden frame in shape, is known 

 as a propagating case ; but failing this a home-made article may be im- 

 provised that will answer the same purpose. A shallow box, about seven 

 or eight inches deep, slightly higher at the back than at the front, with 

 a few squares of glass laid over it, forms a good propagating case for 

 most greenhouse plants. The glass must be removed each morning to 

 drain off accumulated moisture, and also to allow for the removal of any 

 deca}'ing leaves, while the soil when dry may be watered. 



The majority of greenhouse plants, including such popular subjects 

 as Fuchsias, Heliotropes, Petunias, Eegonias, Coleus, and many others, 

 all strike root readily with the following treatment : Take some clean 

 four-inch pots, place one crock (that is, a piece of broken pot ) in the 

 bottom, so as to cover the hole, then over this a few smaller pieces. 

 Then make a mixture of equal parts of loam, leaf-mould, or peat, and 

 silver sand, and pass the whole through a sieve with a mesh of a quarter 

 to half an inch. The result will be a sandy mixture without large lumps. 

 With this fill the prepared pots moderately firm to within a quarter of 

 an inch of the top, and they are then ready for the cuttings. The spring 

 is the busiest period with the propagator, but cuttings may also be put 

 in successfully throughout the summer months. The best cuttings as a 

 rule consist of the young growing shoots, taken off at a length of about 

 three inches, and when the bottom leaves are removed they are ready for 

 insertion. The cuttings must be put in with a dibble exactly as 

 directed for pricking off seedlings, and care must be taken not to over- 

 crowd them, as if this is done, decay is liable to set in. At the same 

 time, space within the propagating case is usually in demand, so that no 



