928 



Gardening for Amateurs 



sown as soon as possible after they fall, or 

 if they cannot be sown at an early date they 

 should be stored in a moist and cool place, 

 preferably in damp sand or moss. Such 

 seeds as Holly, Thorn, Plum and Cherry 

 take a long time to germinate, and although 

 they can be kept in a cool room in good con- 

 dition for a period of twelve months or more, 

 it is advisable to sow them early, in order 

 that germination may take place as soon as 

 possible. Holly and Thorn seeds rarely 

 vegetate in less than eighteen months, and 

 they are sometimes stored in damp sand for 

 twelve months previous to sowing, so that 

 they shall not occupy the ground for a longer 

 time than is absolutely necessary. Seeds 

 which germinate within a few weeks after 

 sowing, and do not deteriorate seriously by 

 being stored for a few months, are better 

 sown in spring than in autumn. If sown 

 in spring the young plants continue to grow 

 throughout summer, whereas if seedlings 

 appear in autumn they grow little or none 

 during winter and often become very weak. 

 Seeds of Broom, Laburnum, Spiraea, Cistus, 

 Rhododendron and many Conifers may be 

 sown in spring. 



When large quantities of tree seeds are 

 dealt with they are sown in beds out of doors. 

 The beds are made about 4 feet wide and 

 the ground chosen is light, well-drained loam 

 whenever possible. The soil ought to be 

 clean and free from weed seeds and should 

 have been well manured the previous season. 

 Ground from which a crop of Potatoes has 

 been taken is usually in good condition for 

 seed sowing. March is a good month for 

 sowing, advantage being taken of a period 

 when the soil is moderately dry. The smaller 

 seeds may be covered with about a quarter 

 of an inch of soil, and larger seeds deeper in 

 proportion. Large seeds are liable to be 

 eaten by mice and should be coated with red 

 lead before being sown, and it is a good plan 

 to protect the seed beds by wire netting if 

 rabbits abound in the vicinity. Provision 

 must also be made for shading in very hot 

 weather, while Larch and other kinds easily 

 injured by late frosts ought to be covered 

 with canvas at night. 



When only small quantities of seed have 

 to be sown it is desirable to use pots or boxes 

 and place them in a frame or greenhouse. 



Seeds, however, which take a. long time 

 to germinate may be placed out-of-doors for 

 the winter. Sow in pots when ripe and 

 plunge the pots in ashes. Then in February 

 transfer them to a warm house. The winter 

 cold and the subsequent rise of temperature 

 sometimes hasten germination by quite six 

 months. Other seeds may be sown in spring 

 under glass, and in either case as soon as the 

 seedlings are large enough to handle they 

 should be pricked off thinly into boxes or 

 beds or singly into small pots, eventually 

 planting them out of doors. Pots or boxes 

 must be well drained, and it is advisable 

 to use a fairly light compost such as is 

 made by mixing together 2 parts loam, 1 

 part peat or leaf -mould, and 1 part of 

 sand. In the case of Erica, Rhododendron 

 and allied plants 2 parts of peat and 1 part 

 of sand may be used. Make the compost 

 moderately firm in the pots and cover the 

 seeds with about their own depth of soil. 

 Plunge the pots in coco-nut fibre refuse and 

 shade until the young plants appear. Small 

 seeds such as those of Rhododendron and 

 Erica do not require covering with soil. 

 Sow them and cover the pots or boxes with 

 glass and paper until the seedlings appear. 



Cuttings. This is a very important 

 method of propagation, for a great many of 

 our most beautiful shrubs and some trees 

 are usually increased by cuttings. There 

 are three distinct tvpes of cuttings, i.e. 

 (1) those made from the soft or semi -ripened 

 shoots of the current year from June to 

 August ; (2) those made from perfectly 

 ripened wood during autumn or winter ; 

 and (3) those made from cuttings of roots, 

 usually during early spring. 



Soft or semi-ripe shoots of a large number 

 of shrubs may be used, and this method is. 

 very popular. The work is usually conducted 

 with the aid of a frame or propagating case, 

 and though heat is not absolutely necessary 

 it is in many cases an advantage. Similar 

 soil to that recommended for seeds may be 

 used, but the pots should be made up more 

 firmly and the soil surfaced with silver sand. 

 Cuttings should be made of short growths 

 3 to 4 inches long, and healthy shoots of 

 moderate thickness are preferable to very 

 vigorous ones. They must be cut to a joint, 

 or when possible they may be removed from 



