THE AGERATVM. 123 



or tlireo sorts avo cntei'ed, it is an easy matter to olitain the 

 seeds ; and to sow tliem in the niontli of .March on a sinirrr 

 border is sullicieni to insure in llie eoni'se of llie siininier 

 nseful cliini|is of llowerinj.;' plants. 



l^ut a Itetter way is to o-row tlie named varieties oidy, 

 and to pro]iai;'ate a stock every year from cnttini;'s. TIk^'ic 

 are 1 \\'() modes of ])rooednre, the hest of the two l)cinL;', of 

 crmrse, tlie miist IronLlesomc. A few pans or l)oxcs ar(\ 

 tille(l with sandy loam^ and in the month of Septendic'r 

 tliese are filled with cuttini^'s and shut up in aframe^ wliei'e 

 tlie ciittino-s soon form roots if li<^'htly sprinkled with water 

 ever)' dav. ^A hen rooteil, air is n'iven, and the_y are kejit 

 as hardy as possihle to prepare them for the winter. A\'lien 

 the winter is over these are all topped, and the tojis are 

 strnek on a hotlied or in a propag-ating- house; tliese s]n'iiig- 

 struck cuttings are then grown for bedding out, and tlu? 

 winter plants from wdiich they were taken are thmwn away, 

 or are planted in the reserve ground to supp]\' cut flowers. 

 If this best way of making cuttings in autumn, and again 

 in spring, should appear to be too troublesonn', tlie alter- 

 native is to strike in the autumn as many as will lie 

 ultimately wanted, and these, of course, wdl ha\c to be 

 jilanted .>ut in the ensuing season. 



To manage the jilants through the v\'inter is a very easy 

 matter, as thoy are hardy, and a. little frost or damp will 

 scarcidy harm them. At the same time, a good jiit or 

 house is the proper place for them, Jn the spring, when 

 they begin to grow, they should be pinched back- occasion- 

 ally to keep them dwarf, and should lia\e air and light 

 frecl\', and lie. full)' exposed in open I'raincs IVnm the end 

 'A April until ]ilanted in tlie beds. 



The ageratum will grow fairly well in any soil, and as 



