PLANTING AND PROPAGATING ALPINES. 95 



contains a liberal admixture of leaf mould and abund- 

 ance of sand is best, and it should be of fine texture 

 and agreeably moist. A quarter to half-an-inch is 

 deep enough to sow. A square of glass may be placed 

 over each receptacle and shaded with paper, but 

 both should be dispensed with after germination has 

 taken place. In the absence of frame accommodation 

 seed may be sown in pots or pans and placed on a 

 shelf, or otherwise near the glass, in a greenhouse. 



In places where there is no glass of any kind a 

 special bed should be prepared in the garden. The 

 soil must be broken up thoroughly and crumbled 

 into a perfectly fine state. It should be soaked with 

 water a few hours before sowing. The seed may be 

 sown in drills far enough apart to permit of a hoe 

 being used between them to keep down weeds. Timely 

 attention should be given to thinning and pricking 

 out. 



Flower-lovers will not find the raising of hardy 

 plants from seed irksome ; on the contrary, they will 

 find a great deal of pleasure in the close intimacy 

 which they will form with the plants from their earliest 

 stages. Moreover, when the plants are raised in a 

 greenhouse active work can be kept up even in bad 

 weather, which brings outdoor gardening to a stand- 

 stiU. 



Other methods of propagation come under con- 

 sideration when the garden is partly furnished and 

 extension is desired. Certain plants will reproduce 

 their kind from cuttings or division more readily than 

 from seed. In most cases they will give an indication 



