THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



157 



it a couple of days for the soil to get warm, then 

 dibble in the cuttings two and a half inches apart, 

 water with tepid water, shade and keep close. Not 

 one per cent, will fail to strike, and what is more, 

 the plants may remain there till required for plant- 

 ing out. In this way we strike very many thousands 

 each year, the frames that have done duty for the 

 first batches being lifted off and used for others. 

 Makeshift protectors, with rails and mats, are im- 

 provised for the protection of the plants from which 

 the frames are thus taken. To bring up the j)lants 

 sturdily, any disposition that they manifest to grow 

 lanky should be checked by pinching out the points. 



Ahutilons, Agathcea ccelestis (Blue Marguerite), 

 Ageratums, Alyssiim variegatum, C'oleus Verschoffellii, 

 FucJunaSy Gazanias, Heliotropes, Iresine Lindenii, 

 Petunias, Fyretliruni (French Marguerites), and 

 Tropceolums all need similar structures and bottom 

 heat ior autumn striking to those named for Alternan- 

 theras, and, with the exception of Coleus and Iresine, 

 they will all winter in any light position where the 

 temperature does not sink below 40°. Coleus and 

 Iresine require the warmest place at command. 



Spring propagation of these follows much on the 

 same lines as Altemantheras, except that they are 

 not so accommodating as regards space, and room 

 must be found in the houses for pots, pans, or boxes 

 till the season is advanced sufficiently for them to be 

 l)laced in turf pits, or cold frames, preparatory to 

 final planting out. A capital striking-pit for the 

 spring season for all these kinds of plants can be 

 made in melon and cucumber-houses, the front por- 

 tion of the beds being partitioned off either with 

 tiirves, oak slabs, or bricks ; a sunken cutting-bed can 

 thus be formed, and be covered with glass resting 

 on the front wall and the wall of the partition. Here 

 the cuttings will ^strike in an incredibly short time, 

 and, if not left longer than to get well rooted, the 

 shade from the over-growing melons or cucumbers 

 will have no detrimental efi'ect, Abutilons and 

 Marguerites should be potted off singly, but the others 

 will grow well for a long time if planted several 

 in a pot. Warmth and moisture are requisite till 

 new roots are being ma(^e in the fresh soil; they 

 may then safely be moved to cooler places, to make 

 room for others that ai-e to be potted. 



Verbenas, Mesembryanthemums, and 

 Lobelias, of the Erinus section, also make the finest 

 growth from 5;;ri?2^-propagated plants, but stock- 

 plants of each must be prepared early in September. 

 Verbenas, like Calceolarias, are often unjustly dis- 

 paraged on the ground of their liability to fail, which 

 from personal practice we can answer is preventible. 

 G-ood cuttings, free of flower-bnds and insects, and 

 taken off the plants at the outer edges of the beds, 



which are always the most vigorous, should be in- 

 serted in pans, not closer together than two and a half 

 inches; the soil to be sandy loam, and moderately 

 well pressed down. Well soak them, and place in 

 a cold frame on a bed of ashes, to keep worms and 

 slugs at bay. The lights must be kept closely shut 

 during the day, and shaded with double mats when 

 there is any sunshine, the aim being to keep them as 

 cool as possible, as in this way they strike root without 

 making any top growth whatever — a point of great 

 importance with plants which it is desired should 

 develop a short- jointed sturdy growth from the very 

 foundation. After the fii'st week the hea\y water- 

 ing necessary to insure the soil being closely sealed 

 round the cuttings will have somewhat dried up. 

 Then should commence ligtit syringings, early in the 

 morning, before shade is applied, and from this time 

 also the lights may be tilted up an inch or so at 

 night, to be closed the following morning after the 

 syringing has been done. In a month they will be 

 nicely rooted. They may then be placed in any 

 shady place out of doors, and be moved to a cold pit 

 for the winter as soon as frost renders it unsafe to 

 leave them out any longer. The winter treatment is 

 to keep cool and airy, and keep a sharp look-out for 

 mildew and fly, neither of which is very trouble- 

 some when the plants have had due care as to 

 striking, and are growing in rich soil that is never 

 allowed to get really dry. Spring propagation 

 should proceed in the same way as that given for 

 Altemantheras, only less bottom heat is needed, and 

 the frames may be removed, and temporary protec- 

 tion be given, as soon as ever the plants are estab- 

 lished in the soil. 



Lobelias do not come true from seed, and a few 

 stock-pots take up so little space during the winter, 

 that cuttings only of good kinds should be grown. 

 All the remarks made above as to the propagation of 

 Yerbenas aj)ply to these, except that a slight bottom 

 heat is requisite till they are struck ; after that the 

 treatment is exactly the same. Spring-struck 

 cuttings as soon as well rooted may be transplanted 

 into cold frames, leaf-mould being the principal 

 compost used, that they may lift with good balls 

 when they are to be finally planted out. 



Mesembryantliemum cordifolium variegatum is one 

 of the most elegant and popular of summer bedding 

 plants, and withal is very easy to manage. Autumn- 

 struck plants never grow satisfactorily, as they 

 always manifest such a disposition to flower and 

 seed — a failing no doubt due to their getting root- 

 bound during the winter. It is, therefore, preventible. 

 We have proved that spring cuttings most quickly 

 fill out their space, and do not seed till quite the end 

 of summer, and this being so, it is not worth wliile 

 to propagate in autumn more than what are requii-ed 



