THE PLEASURE GROUND. *27<) 



young plants from being drawn up weakly, and 

 damping off. When the seedling plants have at- 

 tained the height of two to three inches, they should 

 be put into small sized pots, in the same soil as was 

 mentioned for the sowing of the seeds in ; five or 

 six plants may be placed round the edges of each 

 pot, which should be again re- placed in the frame, 

 and kept shaded, until they begin to strike root in 

 the fresh soil., when they may be gradually exposed 

 to the sun and air ; and after they appear to have got 

 well rooted, and are growing freely, they should be 

 put out singly into small sized pots, with as much of 

 the soil attached to the young fibres as possible. 

 When the plants are young, they will require to be 

 frequently shifted ; but this operation must be regu- 

 lated according to their growth, and as they fill 

 their pots with young roots. 



But the most general method of increasing the 

 Heath in this country, is, by propagating from cut* 

 tings of the young shoots, which should be taken off 

 when the wood becomes of a firm texture, when it 

 will not be so liable to be injured by damp, as is 

 frequently the case when put into the cutting pot 

 in a tender state. The best season for putting in 

 Heath cuttings, is from March to July ; but the 

 operator must be guided in this by the state of the 

 shoots which are intended for this purpose. In 

 fact, most of the species will strike root if put in at 

 any period of the year, providing the cuttings are 

 taken off when in a fit state. To procure shoots of 

 the less free growing sorts, they may be assisted by 

 placing the plants in a little artificial heat, at the 



