PROPAGATION uY SINGLE BUDS. 3 



mon sand banks often contains oxide of iron and other 

 foreign matters to an extent that renders useless all 

 attempts to grow anything in it. When pure sand can- 

 not be obtained, the other can be made to answer by 

 exposing it to the action of the air and rains for a few 

 months, or by washing it thoroughly before using. 



After the pots have been filled with cuttings, they 

 should be placed in a temperature between 40 and 50, 

 and allowed to remain from two to three weeks, water- 

 ing just enough to keep them moist, but not wet. As 

 roots are formed at a much lower degree of temperature, 

 and less rapidly than leaves, we are thus enabled to 

 cause the process of rooting to begin (which is very 

 essential) before we place them in a position to com- 

 mence growth; and when this does start, the roots, 

 being formed, or in process of formation, will then issue 

 with such rapidity that they will be capable of absorbing 

 food to supply the new growth as soon as it has con- 

 sumed that which was laid up in the bud the previous 

 season. 



After removing the pots from their first position, 

 place them in the frames, which should be partially filled 

 with sand and located over the flues or hot-water pipes, 

 plunging them at least one-half their depth in the sand ; 

 give them bottom heat of 60 for the first few days, then 

 gradually raise it to 80 ; keep the frames partly open, 

 and the temperature of the atmosphere in them ten 

 degrees lower, if possible, than that of the sand under 

 them, bearing in mind that we wish to excite the roots 

 to grow before the leaves. When the buds begin to 

 push, allow the temperature to increase to 90 or 95, 

 close the frames and keep the atmosphere moist by fre- 

 quent waterings; a liberal application once a day will 

 usually be sufficient. Pure rainwater is best, and should 

 always be of the temperature of the air in the house, or 

 nearly so. Cold water would surely check the growth 



