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PROPAGATOR'S CALENDAR. 



potted. Cleft or veneer grafting in a heated frame is the most successful 

 method. Sow seeds of tender annuals and herbaceous plants in heat ; 

 some of the hardier kinds may be sown on a warm border, and protected 

 during cold weather with a case or hand-light. Propagate Alpines and 

 herbaceous plants by slips or cuttings either of the stem or root. Anem- 

 ones, Ranunculi, &c., may now be planted for seed. Sow tree and shrub 

 seeds of all kinds in fine open weather, and plant out hardy deciduous kinds 

 from the seed-beds into nursery beds or rows. Put in cuttings or layers of 

 Honeysuckles, and many other ornamental trees and shrubs. Collect 

 scions of ornamental trees and shrubs, choosing the middle-sized shoots of 

 last season before their buds begin to burst : these may be tied in bundles 

 and laid in by the heels on a shady north border until wanted. Many 

 ornamental trees and shrubs may now be grafted more successfully than at 

 any other time, and others may now be best propagated by cuttings, seeds, 

 or layers. 



Plant and Fruit Houses. This is a good time to insert cuttings and 

 sow seeds of all winter and spring flowering plants, such as Geraniums, 

 Fuchsias, Chrysanthemums, and tender annuals. Start Dahlias and 

 Cannas. Put in cuttings or pipings of Tree Carnations, Cinerarias, double 

 Primulas. Sow Cyclamen seeds for blooming after those sown in autumn. 

 All kinds of stove and greenhouse plants propagated by grafting may now 

 be operated on, and especially Fuchsias, fancy and variegated Geraniums, 

 Iponuza Horsfallicc on roots of /. (Batatus] paniculata, Aralias, as A. 

 Veitchii, A. lepfophylla, A. reticulata, and others. These last may either 

 be worked on the commoner kinds, which root with tolerable freedom 

 from cuttings, or on thick bits of root well furnished with fibres. The 

 two best stocks for tender stove Aralias are A. reticulata and A. Schefflera 

 the last being especially recommended by Messrs Haage & Schmidt, of 

 Erfurt. Ixoras, Allamandas, Petrceas, &c., may also now be grafted in 

 heat as also may Roses, Daphnes, Abutilons, and Azaleas. Graft or 

 inarch Vines and shoots of Peaches and Nectarines to fill up vacancies, if 

 not done last month. Experiments in grafting and hybridising may now 

 be tried often with better success than later in the year. Wisteria sinensis 

 and the white and double-flowered varieties of W. fmtescens may now be 

 grafted on pieces of the root of their respective kinds. Some of the orna- 

 mental kinds of Ficus succeed well worked on roots of the common Fig- 

 tree (Fictts caricd) in a moist bottom-heat. Put in Vine-eyes singly in 

 3-inch pots, and plunge them in a bottom- heat of 80 and a top-heat of 

 65 to 70. 



MARCH. 



Kitchen and Hardy-Fruit Garden. This is a busy month in all depart- 

 ments, and nearly all hardy plants may now be propagated from seeds. 

 Sow Asparagus, Kale, Basil, Beans twice in the month, Beet, Borecole, 

 Broccoli early, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Carrot, Cauliflower, 

 Celeriac, Celery, Couve Tronchuda, Cress, French Beans, Leek, Lettuce, 

 Mustard, Onion, Parsley, Parsnip, Peas twice, Radish twice, Rampion, 

 Salsify, Savoy, Scorzonera, Spinach, and Turnip. Fruit-trees of nearly 

 all kinds should now be grafted, and the present opportunity should be 

 taken to renovate old Apples and Pears on walls by partially heading back 

 the branches and working approved sorts on them. Plant Potatoes on 

 warm dry soils, and make plantations of Asparagus, Seakale, Rhubarb, 

 &c. Now is the time to sow Seakale for next season's forcing ; indeed, 

 seeds sown now in deep rich sail will form strong crowns, ready for digging 



