160 PLANT PROPAGATION 
cuttings of young shoots taken off with a heel and 
inserted under a bell-glass in heat at the same season, 
also by pegging down layers in summer. 
PracH.—For propagation, see Nectarine, p. 151. 
PrEaR.—Budding in July and August has now become 
‘very general. Whip-grafting young stocks in March 
and April, and crown and cleft-grafting old trees of 
inferior or undesirable varieties, are, as with Apples, 
the usual means adopted for propagating, using stocks 
of seedling Pears for standard trees and Quince stocks 
from cuttings or layers for dwarfs. Some varieties are 
induced to fruit much better by double-grafting. 
Pras.—Sow dwarf early sorts on a.south border in 
February or March for first crop; for main crop and 
successions at intervals of three weeks; round-seeded 
and Marrowfat varieties from March to June. Protect 
the seed from mice by setting traps, and the young 
seedlings from sparrows by netting if necessary, 
PELARGONIUM.—-The Zonal varieties can be readily 
propagated by cuttings, the best times being in spring 
under glass and at the end of summer outdoors. The 
lower leaves and stipules should be removed and cut 
just below a joint, then inserted in pots or boxes of 
sandy soil. The greenhouse Show and Fancy sorts 
are raised from cuttings struck from the tops of cut- 
back plants inserted in a cold frame in August. The 
Scented-leaved and Ivy-leaved kinds strike more quickly 
if afforded a little heat in a close frame in spring. All 
kinds can be raised from seed sown in gentle heat in 
spring, but the varieties do not come true to name. 
Stout root-cuttings, 1 to 2 inches long, planted in sand 
or sandy compost in a little warmth provide another 
means of increase. 
