APPENDIX. 229 



as, for the want of success in two cases out of three, the 

 sand is made the scape-goat. 



The most insidious enemy of the young cutting is the 

 spider-web-like substance, which now, by common consent 

 among gardeners, is called The Fungus of the Cutting 

 Bench. Whenever this pest is seen, it may be taken for 

 granted that the temperature has been too high, and the 

 atmosphere too close. The remedy is to raise the sashes 

 enough to allow the exit of the heavy atmosphere, which 

 will at the same time lower the temperature. I have ob- 

 served that the "fungus" can never exist to an injurious 

 extent in a temperature below 50. 



Before closing, I will briefly advert to a simple process 

 of rooting cuttings, which is by far the most covenient 

 for amateurs or for professional gardeners, who have no 

 regular propagating-house. It is what is known here as 

 the " Saucer System." It consists simply in filling plates 

 or saucers with sand, the cuttings are then inserted, some- 

 what closely together from an inch to two inches apart ; 

 the plates are then watered, so that the sand gets into a 

 half-liquid state ; they are then placed in the parlor win- 

 dow, or stage of the green-house, entirely exposed to the 

 sun, and never shaded. All that is further required is, 

 that the sand must be kept in the condition of mud until 

 the cuttings are rooted, which will be in from ten to 

 twenty days, according to the temperature, or state of 

 the cutting. Great care must be taken that they never 

 get dry, or the whole operation will fail. This is a very 

 safe method of rooting cuttings, and one that during hot 

 weather is preferable to all others. 



