26 Description of a Propagation Shelf. 



most of the others in this nursery, are heated by steam, in a 

 very masterly manner, by Messrs. Bailey of Holborn. A 

 single pipe (f) is found quite sufficient to keep up the tem- 

 perature in the most severe weather. Air is admitted by the 

 front and top sashes in the usual way. 



On coming to Mr. Mackay's nursery in January 1 823, 1 found 

 this shelf filled with cuttings of half-hardy evergreens, under 

 common hand-glasses. These were potted off in the month 

 of March following, and about the end of July we filled the 

 shelf in the following manner ; viz. three inches of potsherds, 

 brickbats, &c. for drainage ; seven inches turfy peat mould, 

 mixed with a little white sand ; and three quarters of an inch of 

 pure white sand, well washed, on the top, taking care to incor- 

 porate the lower part of the sand with the surface of the peat, 

 which, I ought to observe, was made a little finer on the top, 

 that it might the more easily incorporate with the sand. A 

 copious watering was given, and immediately afterwards the 

 surface was beaten smooth with a flat-sided mallet ; the glasses, 

 which vary in size from one inch to fifteen inches in diameter, 

 were then fitted on, arranging the highest at the back, and 

 placing them so as to leave as little of the surface as possible 

 unemployed; the cuttings were put in in the usual way, or 

 pretty nearly as directed by Mr. Sweet, in his very excellent 

 " Botanical Cultivator." And here they usually stand till the 

 following April, when by that time we find most of them fit 

 to pot off. The only difference of treatment from that given 

 to cuttings in pots is, that we rarely move the glasses to wipe 

 them, finding no inconvenience from damps, &c. 



The glasses in use at Mr. Mackay's nursery are not quite 

 the same as those commonly used about London. They are 

 of various shapes, and agree only in one particular, that of 

 having a small hole at the top, which is generally left open, 

 but can be stopped at pleasure with a bit of cork. (Square 

 glasses, which might either be blown in that shape, or formed 

 of eight panes in lead-lap, would save room in such a bed as 

 the above. — Cond.) 



In giving water, we apply it freely over the tops of the 

 glasses. In this manner we have succeeded in striking most 

 of the difficult species of Banksia, particularly B. grandis, and 

 speciosa var. quercifolia, dryandroides, pulchella, nutans, &c. 

 I have also struck in this way nine species of Dryandra out of 

 the fourteen species now at Clapton, and have little doubt 

 but the other five may also be so propagated, when they come 

 into a state fit to afford cuttings. Elichrysum strikes readily in 

 this way; all the natural order Epacrideae, and Poly gala, Enki- 



