52 On the Propagation of the Erythrina Cnsla galli. 



g-ation and cultivation of the Erythrina Crista-galli. In my 

 opinion, the more the cultivation of a plant or plants is 

 known, so much the better for the cultivator ; because there 

 are but few people that will purchase a plant the manage- 

 ment of which they know nothing at all about. I am also of 

 opinion that the more this knowledge is extended, the 

 greater the taste becomes ; and, as the taste increases for 

 plants, their value increases in the same proportion. Now 

 who would be without a plant of the Erythrina Crista-galli? 

 perhaps few of your readers are aware that there is as little 

 trouble attending the growth of this beautiful plant, as there 

 is with that of a dahlia, and which, I hope, I shall be able 

 to show, if I can make myself rightly understood. 



About the latter end of February, or the beginning of 

 March, I pot the old plants in a very rich light soil, giv- 

 ing them a good watering, to settle the earth about their 

 roots. I then place them in any convenient part of the hot- 

 house, and, in two or three weeks from this time, they will 

 have made shoots from four to five inches, which is suffi- 

 ciently long enough for cuttings. Observe how many cut- 

 tings you have ready to take off; but, before taking them off, 

 you must have as many three inch pots [No. 1] in readiness 

 to receive them, as they should not lie any length of time after 

 being separated from the parent stem : the shoots being 

 young and full of sap, they soon flag, and once flagged, it is 

 ten chances to one if ever you are able to recover them. 



The soil which I prefer is one half leaf mould, and one 

 half pure pit or river sand. The above sized pots being 

 filled with this compost, I take a small piece of round wood, 

 or, which is more handy, the point of my finger, and make a 

 hole in the centre of the soil in the pot. This I fill with 

 pure sand : I then proceed to take off my cuttings, observing 

 to cut them close below a joint or eye, allowing all their 

 leaves to remain. I then take a piece of round wood, and 

 make a hole in the centre of the sand, to the depth of one 

 inch and a half, placing the cutting therein ; and with my 

 two thumbs, I press the soil as firm as possible, this being 

 the principal secret of putting in cuttings. I then place 

 them in a hot-bed, which has been made up a few days pre- 

 vious. Observe never to allow the bottom heat to get be- 

 low 70° ; it can very easily be kept up to this by putting 

 fresh linings around the frame. I would observe that they 

 will not be at all injured, if a little steam should get into 

 the frame, providing it is not too strong. Great care is also 

 necessary to keep them shaded from the sun, as also to 

 sprinkle them, every morning, with water of the same tem- 

 perature of the bed, if need require, and never at any time 

 to give air, except when at work in or about the frame. 



