914 PRACTICE OF GARDENING. PART III. 



thought more advisable to insert the cutting in : if sand is used, it should be previously 

 well watered, otherwise it cannot be sufficiently tightened to the base of the cutting ; a 

 most essential point to be observed ; however, it should have time to be well drained off 

 from the pot before the cuttings are put in ; as they, being so tender, are extremely 

 liable to damp at this season ; than which nothing is more injurious. The loam will, in 

 general, be found sufficiently moist of itself ; and should it be of a fine, sandy nature, 

 so much the better ; but if not, a third or fourth part of fine sand should be added, and 

 well mixed previous to its being used. 



6628. Being properly planted, let them be covered immediately with the proper glass, well fitted, and 

 pressed moderately on the mould, so as perfectly to exclude the air. They should then be plunged in the 

 front of the bark-pit of the propagation-house ; or otherwise in a hot-bed frame made up for that purpose. 

 The inside of the glasses should be regularly wiped with a dry cloth every morning ; and any of them that 

 happen to damp, carefully taken away before they contaminate the rest. If the sun happens to be un- 

 clouded, they must be shaded for a few days moderately with strong paper, or some such article ; but by 

 no means is it to be left on too late in the afternoon, as the cuttings being so soft and tender, are extremely 

 susceptible of injury by over-shading. In the space of ten days or a fortnight, some of the free-rooting 

 kinds will be making efforts of growth ; as soon as this is noticed, it will be necessary to give them a little 

 air, by taking the glasses off every evening, when the sun is quite receded from them, and putting them 

 on again early the following morning ; until they are by that means hardened, so as to be able to bear the 

 full power of the sun without the glass, when it is to be entirely discontinued. If any of them should 

 droop their heads when this operation is first performed, it is proper to refrain from moving the glasses 

 until they have gained more strength. The shading is also to be decreased by degrees, but not so much 

 as to be entirely done away while there remains any of them under glasses. In this manner is the business 

 to be followed at different intervals, according as the cuttings are ready during the months of March and 

 April. 



6629. May and June is the most proper time for propagating most or all of the woody shrub-like plants ,- 

 such as myrtles, oranges, metrosideros, banksias, &c. and more particularly heaths, as the young wood 

 will by that time be in general pretty far advanced. If this business is begun in June, which is early 

 enough, they must, on account of the increased heat of the season, be plunged in some cool shady situa- 

 tion, where they can be conveniently shaded when requisite : an exhausted hot-bed, with a frame and 

 good lights on it, will answer very well ; or otherwise, the north side of any low wall or hedge, where 

 they will be a little sheltered from "the noonday sun, and have the benefit of it morning and evening ; in 

 either place, the pots must be plunged up to the rim in old tan or sawdust; and in the latter, they 

 will also require to be covered with large cap-glasses over the small ones, as well mixed cuttings as 

 heaths, except a few of the herbaceous sorts, such as arctotis, calendula, &c. and strong, substantial, 

 broad-leaved kinds, as camellia, laurus, &c. which will succeed better without the small glasses at this 

 season, so that they are covered with sound airtight caps. There are many others, indeed all late- 

 growing deciduous, as well as evergreen sorts, as pomegranates, oleas, myrtles, &c. ; which, in general, 

 only form their callosities previous to the ensuing spring, that do better without the small glasses, as 

 their leaves drop off much sooner when too closely covered, than they do when differently managed ; 

 and it is well certified, that the longer the leaves are retained in an active state, the greater the pro- 

 bability of success : this is to be merely understood as relating to late cuttings ; for the same articles, 

 if put in early in spring, very young, in a moderate heat, closely covered, properly shaded and dried, 

 will strike astonishingly quick. Cuttings of all the kinds that re'main to be propagated should also be 

 made at this season, and managed in the same manner. The whole being thus arranged, they must 

 be carefully shaded whenever the sun acts violently on them, especially when first put in ; but they 

 ought not to be shaded longer than four or five o'clock in the afternoon, according to circumstances, 

 as the mild influence of the sun at that hour will be necessary to dry up any damps that may have arisen 

 within the caps. It will be also requisite to dry the small bell-glasses every morning, as directed for the 

 spring cuttings, and to water occasionally any of the pots which may require it ; for though it is proper 

 to keep the top of the cutting dry, yet "the mould in the pot must be kept as near a medium as possible 

 between wet and dry, otherwise they will not freely vegetate. 



6630. Potting qff'. Some of the first put in spring cuttings will, in May or June, require to be parted 

 and potted separately in small pots ; in performing which, be careful to avoid breaking the roots, using 

 them much in the same manner as already directed for seedlings. When potted and watered, they must 

 be set in the propagation-house for a few days, and shaded until they have established themselves in the 

 fresh mould : as soon as they have taken to grow freely, let them be removed to a frame ; but observe not 

 to expose them to the open air entirely at first, as it might do them a material injury, on account of which, 

 the lights over them should be kept closer than usual for a few days. About the middle of June, any of 

 the tenderer green-house cuttings that have been left in the propagation-house since spring, should be 

 plunged under the cap-glasses along with the others : where the Whole must be carefully attended to every 

 morning, to pick off damps, dry the glasses, and water when wanted ; it is advisable, when fresh watered, 

 to let the glasses stand off for about a quarter or half an hour, to dry the surface a little, except the sun 

 happens to be very clear, and shining direct on them. It has been already remarked, that there are many 

 kinds which do better without the small glasses ; such as the strong-growing, spongy, and succulent kinds; 

 also those with thick leathery leaves, as the camellia, and some species of ilex, &c. which are very liable 

 to have their leaves scorched by the glasses collecting the rays of the sun. Any time during the months 

 of June or July, cuttings of these sorts may be made with success ; as by that time the young shoots will 

 be sufficiently firm for that purpose, and will strike freely in good loam : but camellias, and such like sorts, 

 should not be cut until the shoots have finished their growth, and the leaves attained their full size, as 

 they are, when taken too young, particularly subject to rottenness and damp. In July and August, there 

 will be many of the earlier cuttings growing ; they should have their glasses taken off, as before directed, 

 and afterwards be set for a few days in a more exposed situation, to harden them by degrees, in which 

 they must be shaded from the mid-day sun, but freely exposed to the air at night. 



6631. Parting and potting should also be occasionally performed on such as are ready for that operation ; 

 when, if any of them happen to be more backward than others in the same pot, and not rooted, let them 

 be put in again as cuttings, and treated as such ; those potted should be set in a cool frame, as directed 

 for seedlings, where they must be kept close and shaded, except in mild weather, until they are by degrees 

 inured to the free air. 



6632. Removing to the propagation -house. At the season in which it is judged advisable to house the 

 general collection of green-house plants, it will be also requisite to have the cuttings removed to the 

 propagation-house, to be cleaned, sorted, and regulated, according to their different kinds and stages 

 of growth. The commoner sorts will do to be set in any part of the house where they will have free 

 air and light, and that they can be got at conveniently to water, and pick them when necessary ; the 

 more curious kinds should bo set in a dry airy part, where they can be carefully attended, to p'revent 

 their getting over dry or dirty, and also to take the glasses occasionally off those that may be growing. 

 All the backward heaths, proteas, or any other hard-wooded kinds, such as are most of the Botany 

 Bay plants, &c. that take a long time to strike, should be set in one of the coolest and driest situa- 

 tions of the hoUhouse, where they must be watered and cleaned, like the others, throughout the win- 



