205 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAEDENING. 



water in excess, tlie want of artificial overhead 

 waterings, to compensate as far as can be done by 

 art for the lack of the invigorating, feeding, cleansing, 

 natural rains and dews — these have killed tens of 

 thousands of town Eoses, while the polluted atmo- 

 spheres of which we hear so much have only killed 

 their hundreds. 



PEOPAGATION. 



Bt W. Watson. 



TEE RAISINd OF SPECIAL GENERA FROM SEEDS. 



I'S the last chapter we considered in a general way 

 those conditions which play an important part in 

 the germination of . seeds, and which, if properly 

 understood, should be sufScient to enable any gar- 

 dener to succeed in the management of seeds of any 

 particular kind. For information of a more special 

 nature, as well as for the details of that treatment 

 most suitable for the seeds of ordinary garden 

 plants, such as vegetables, annual flowering plants, 

 &c., the reader is referred to those chapters which 

 deal with each class. It would be out of the question 

 to attempt such information here. There are, how- 

 ever, one or two special classes of plants to which a 

 few lines here may not be out of place, and the first 

 of these is — 



Coniferee.— Seeds of aU the cone-bearing family, 

 of which the Pinus and Cupressus may be named as 

 examples, are when procurable the readiest means 

 of propagating these plants; but owing in some 

 cases to the difficulty of obtaining foreign seeds, 

 and to the trees in this country not producing them, 

 cuttings or grafts are resorted to as the only means.' 

 The seeds of Conifers are borne in between the bases 

 of the scales of which the cones are composed, some 

 cones containing as many as 300 seeds. Notwith- 

 standing their oUy nature, they will keep perfectly 

 fresh for three or four years if aUowed to remain 

 in the cone, but lose their vitality in less than 

 a year if removed. It is usual to gather the cones 

 before they are quite ripe, and before the scales 

 have separated so as to aUow the seeds to drop 

 out. Some kinds, however, do not open, and it 

 therefore becomes necessary to soak them for a day 

 or so in water, and afterwards expose them to sun- 

 heat, or place them in heated kilns speoiaUy con- 

 structed for the purpose. For sowing the seeds, if 

 to be placed out of doors, April is the most favour- 

 able time. It is a good plan to place the seeds in a 

 bag, and then steep the whole in water for two 

 or three days. After this take the seeds out and 

 dry them gently in the sun before sowing them. 



The soil should be soft and rich, mellowed by 

 the preceding winter's frost, and raked as fine as 

 possible. After sowing the seeds cover them with 

 a thin layer of fine light soil, and then run a light 

 roller over the bed. To prevent the sun from dry- 

 ing the soil a covering of Fir branches, hurdles, 



Fig. 2.— Seedling of Salisburia 



Fig. 1.— Seedling Pine. 

 a. Section of seed, 

 showing position of 

 embryo. 



or straw should be placed over it. Mice and birds 

 are fond of these seeds, and must therefore be pre- 

 vented from getting at the seed-beds. Should the 

 weather be dry it will be necessary to water the 

 beds often enough to keep the soil moist. Germina- 

 tion should take place in from three to five weeks. 

 As the seedlings push through the soil the covering 

 should be removed so that light may reach them. 

 For the first year or so seedling Conifers grow very 

 slowly ; they should not be transplanted untU they 

 are about four inches above the ground. When 

 pots are used it will be unnecessary to cover the 



