Propagating and Shipping Young Stock 



son, a too dense shade is not desirable. Movable cloth-covered sash are 

 preferred to permanent shading, so that on dark, cloudy days the houses 

 may be kept in a lighter condition by removing the sash shades. 



The atmosphere of the propagating house should at all times be moist, 

 and this is best maintained by dampening the paths early in the morning, 

 and possibly again during the middle of the day as the season advances 

 and the sun becomes brighter. 



In order to keep down green fly, aphis, thrips, etc., a moderate but 

 constant evaporation of some tobacco preparation is desirable. One of the 

 best means of producing this is by the use of the Lonsdale Evaporating 

 Pan. This pan is so constructed that it can be screwed on to the heating 

 pipes ; the steam passes through a hollow chamber underneath the pan, 

 heating the contents and driving them off into the air slowly, charging the 

 air with tobacco-laden fumes. Where such evaporating pans are not avail- 

 able similar results may be attained by painting the heating pipes, once 

 each week, with a solution of tobacco extract, of the consistency of thin 

 paint. Insects may also be kept down and destroyed by fumigating the 

 propagating house with either tobacco stems or tobacco dust. The tobacco 

 extract may also be evaporated from an ordinary metal pan of any descrip- 

 tion placed upon an oil stove. Fumigation by burning tobacco stems, or 

 tobacco dust, is not as desirable as the use of the tobacco extract. This 

 extract can be used without any danger of injuring the cuttings ; whereas, 

 when fumigating by burning stems the cuttings may be injured in case the 

 houses are filled with a too dense smoke. 



In about ten days after the cuttings are placed in the sand they wilt 

 begin to callous, which operation precedes the formation of roots. Less 

 moisture is required at this period, and more care in ventilating. As soon 

 as the cuttings emit roots, which will be in from eighteen to twenty-one 

 days from the time they are put into the sand, the withholding of water and 

 giving of more air for the purpose of hardening off the cuttings should 

 commence. 



Cuttings of different varieties of carnations require from three to five 

 weeks to become thoroughly well rooted, according to the condition and 

 disposition of the variety and the temperature at which the propagating 

 house is carried. If the temperature under the benches be held at 70 to 75 

 degrees, and the overhead temperature at from 60 to 65 degrees, cuttings 

 will root a few days sooner than if the temperature is carried lower ; but the 

 time gained by employing such high temperature is at the expense of the 



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