lOS FAMILIAli GAKDEX FLOjrERS. 



ing peculiar characters — such as variegated foliage^ for 

 example^are grown from cuttings or divisions. The way to 

 take the cuttings is to divide the crown, reserving to each 

 cutting a portion of the central stem. It is almost im- 

 possible to root these without the aid of a gentle bottom- 

 heat, and ijuite impossible to root them if they are kept 

 cold and wet, for, to tell the truth, they are delicate and 

 troublesome, although the expert in propagating makes 

 quite light of the task of getting up a stock of a 

 few hundreds or thousands, as may be required. They 

 need a somewhat dry atmosphere, to prevent damping 

 off; and they require a certain amount of moisture, to pre- 

 vent flaggiug. When rooted put them into small pots, 

 and plant them deep in the pots, using the comjwst recom- 

 mended for seedling plants. From this point the routine 

 prescribed above will be sufficient. Both single and double 

 kinds should be renewed annually, for only the most 

 exjjert growers can keep old plants, and they often find 

 the keeping more jilague than profit. 



