278 THE PLEASURE GROUND. 



PROPAGATION. 



Cape Heaths being of much shorter duration 

 than most other Cape plants, it is necessary to have 

 constant recourse to propagation, in order to keep 

 up the collection, which should be increased by cut- 

 tings, and seeds, the latter forming the only means 

 of procuring new varieties ; they should be both 

 introduced direct from the Cape, and saved from 

 those plants that perfect their seeds in the Heathery 

 or Greenhouse, in this country, collected as they 

 ripen, and a general sowing made in the ensuing 

 February, or March. The pots intended for the 

 seeds should be filled about half full with the drain- 

 age, and the remaining space with the soil, which 

 should be intermixed, so as it may consist of half 

 peat and half sand, finely sifted, for the depositing of 

 the seeds, and rendered perfectly level, when the 

 seeds may be sown, but observing not to bury 

 them too deep in the soil ; a very slight cover- 

 ing will be quite sufficient. In short, if they are 

 merely covered, it will be all that is necessary. 

 After the seeds are committed to the soil, they should 

 have a gentle sprinkling of water, to settle the soil 

 about them, which must always be given to the 

 seed-pot, by a very fine rose on the watering pot. 

 The seed-pots should then be placed in a cool frame, 

 when they can be shaded from the mid-day sun, and 

 the soil in the pots kept in «a moist and vegetating 

 state. As soon as any of the seeds begin to vege- 

 tate, and make their appearance through the soil, a 

 little air ought to be given, which will prevent the 



