Vi^t, JfF.— Carshalton High Street. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 



" Then let the learned gard'ner mark with care 

 The kinds of stock, and what those kinds will bear ; 

 Explore the nature of each sev'ral tree, 

 And, known, improve with artful industry." — Dryden, Georgics. 



WE propagate plants by all the well-known methods usually 

 practised. Many plants are exclusively raised from seed 

 (fig. loi), such as the majority of our vegetals. To secure proper 

 germination we take care that the seeds (fig. 102) are exposed to 



7 



Fig. ioi. 

 J. Eschscholtzia californica. S- Stellaria media. 

 ». Corn blue-bottle Centau- 

 rea cyanus). 



3. Oxalis rosea. 



4. Papaver somniferum 



(opium poppy). 



6. Sweet William (Dian- 

 thus barbatus). 



7. Foxglove (Digitalis 

 purpurea). 



8. Saponaria calabrica. 



Fig. I02. — Seeds germinating. 



warmth, moisture, and air, as without these three conditions combined 

 seeds will not germinate, and either cold, dryness, or exclusion of 

 oxygen will surely stop their growth. 



After the seed has sprouted light is necessary, and care is required, 

 especially with melon and cucumber- plants, as soon as they have 



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