228 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



state, when put in to propagate, require a temperature 

 . that would be quickly destructive to the hard or old- wood 

 cutting of a Rose. Grapes, when raised under glass, 

 are always propagated from single eyes, that is, one bud, 

 with about 2 inches of the under part of the shoot at- 

 ached; these are planted in the sand of the bench, at 

 from 1 to 2 inches apart, (according to the size of the eye 

 or cutting), and pressed down so that the bud is just above 

 the surface of the sand. The eyes may be put in from 

 January until May, but the best season to begin is about 

 1st March. 



I will now say a word in relation to the sand or coin- 

 post used for propagating cuttings. I know there is con- 

 siderable difference of opinion on this subject ; almost ev- 

 ery propagator having his preferences. My opinion is, 

 that the color or even the texture of the sand or compost 

 has little or nothing to do with the formation of roots; 

 experiments having satisfied me, beyond all doubt, that 

 the sand or compost is only a medium to hold the 

 moisture. 



Experiments with pure water, saw-dust, charcoal, an- 

 thracite, brick-dust, and sands of all colors and textures, 

 showed that cuttings pJnced in each, in the same temper- 

 ature, rooted almost simultaneously, and equally welL 

 There are rarely ever any deleterious substances in sand, 

 unless it is the saline matter in that taken from the sea shore, 

 which had better never be used when it can be had from 

 anywhere else. Many of my nurseryman friends I know 

 have been victimized to a ridiculous extent in this matter," 

 by freighting sand hundreds of miles to suit the caprice, 

 or temporarily hide the failures, of their propagators ; 



