PROCEEDINGS OF THE HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 691 



those who possess countiy as well as city residences tliis is easy enough, 

 as they can grow the plants in the gardens of the former during the sum- 

 mer, and when they have perfected themselves and are ready for bk)Ssonfi- 

 ing, they can be transplanted to the conservatory attached to their city 

 residence. But to those who have not such facilities, it is far better to 

 purchase from a respectable florist plants already grown to the necessary 

 stage of perfection — which under ordinary care, will continue flowering 

 during the whole of the winter season — than to attempt to grow them 

 themselves in their city yards, which under scarcely any circumstances, 

 however skillful the cultivator may be, can he produce such specimens as 

 these before you. In order, however, more fully to make you understand 

 whj' this cannot be done, I will describe the process of growing this 

 monthly carnation, one of the most desirable plants for winter flowering: 

 This plant is not much more than a twelvemonth old. The season for pro- 

 pagating this and kindred plants among florists commences generally iu 

 October and finislies in March, consequently any time intervening during 

 that period is favorable to the operation. The young shoots that have not 

 formed flower-buds are taken from the plants and made into what are 

 termed cuttings, or by some slips. The process is simple enough. The 

 lower leaves of the cutting are pulled off and an incision or cut made near 

 a leaf-joint by means of a sharp knile. The cuttings being made are now 

 stuck into sand placed on benches especially adapted to the purpose, and 

 in about a month's time they commence throwing out roots, or striJsing, as 

 the technical term is among gardeners. As soon as this occurs, they are 

 taken out of the sand and planted into small pots full of any rich and well 

 manured mould ; they are now placed in a cool gr^nhouse or pit, there to 

 remain till all appearance of frost is over, say about the middle of May, 

 when they are planted in the open ground when they soon assume a vigor 

 of growth that cannot, under ordinary circumstances, be obtained if grown 

 exclusively in pots or in the yard attached to a city dwelling. 

 When planted in the open ground, they require no attention in watering, 

 the rains of summer, and especially of the fall, being all they need. About 

 the latter end of September they are taken up carefully and potted, after 

 whrch they are fit candidates for the conservatory, and very soon become 

 such as you now see before you. This is the mode adopted b}'^ florists who 

 do these things on a large scale; but, for amateurs, and those who only 

 require a few plants of each sort, there is another very pleasing and simple 

 process of striking cuttings, which is sticking them in saucers of sand, 

 which should always be kept saturated with water. This mode of grow- 

 ing cuttings can be done in an ordinary sitting-room — merely placing the 

 saucers in the windows during the day, so as to obtain the full light of the 

 sun, and by keeping the sand well moistened — they will require no shad- 

 ing. Before you on the table are some saucers of Verbenas, Koses and 

 other plants grownby this very interesting yet simple process. In Europe 

 they have an excellent custom, which would, no doubt, be greatly appreci- 

 ated if introduced here. It is that of employing a class of gardeners or 

 florists who make it their especial business to supply plants in flower for 

 the decoration of sitting-rooms, and of attending to them afterwards, by 

 sending competent gardeners every day to see that when they need water 



