APPENDIX. 227 



from, for a single hour, by allowing a dash of sun to raise 

 the temperature of the house or frame to 85 or 90, then 

 the soft unrooted slip will " wilt," its juices being expend- 

 ed, the process of rooting is delayed, and, if the " wilt " 

 has been severe enough, entirely defeated. The same cau 

 tion is necessary in applying the " bottom heat," for, if 

 the fire is applied indiscriminately, without regard to the 

 weather, it will be found that you will run the temperature 

 of the bench above "the point of safety," (75), and in 

 proportion as this has been exceeded, so in proportion 

 will be your want of success. It is true that some cut- 

 tings will stand a higher temperature than 75 bottom 

 heat, (grape vines, perhaps, 10 more), but with plants in 

 general, it will be better to let 75 be the maximum. 



In the propagation of Roses, etc., by cuttings of the 

 old or hard wood, less attention is required, but success is 

 not always so uniform, nor, in my opinion, are the plants 

 so obtained quite so good as those made from cuttings 

 of young wood. We prefer to place old, or hard-wood 

 cuttings, in the north or west side of a house, or, in fact, 

 anywhere where they can be kept the coolest without be- 

 ing actually frozen. Any attempt to apply bottom heat 

 to the degree used for soft cuttings, will almost certainly 

 destroy them. The temperature of the house may range 

 from 40 to 60. 



In propagating grape vines, however, this rule does not 

 apply, as it does to the hard wood of Roses, and other 

 shrubs ; with these, the treatment is nearly in all respects 

 similar to that already described in propagating from 

 young wood. The vine delights in a high temperature, 

 and consequently even the eyes or cuttings, in a dormant 



