1 8 PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 



placed not much more than the thickness of their 

 own diameter below the surface. Press the earth 

 firmly, and water carefully to avoid washing the 

 seeds out. A piece of thick flannel may be wet and 

 laid over the surface of the soil, until the seeds 

 germinate ; this will tend to preserve a uniform 

 moisture and obviate the necessity of too frequent 

 sprinkling, which must be very carefully done or 

 the seeds will be washed up. The soil should be 

 kept damp but not wet, with a temperature of about 

 6o°. If the atmosphere is too dry, the box in 

 which seeds are planted, may be set in a larger one, 

 surrounded by wet moss and covered with glass. 

 Tiny plants grown in the house are frequently at- 

 tacked by a minute fungas, scarcely perceptible, 

 soon after they are up, and " damp off," as it is 

 termed. This must be guarded against by frequent- 

 ly raising the glass and giving them fresh air. If 

 attacked with it, they should be promptly and care- 

 fully transplanted to another box of leaf-mold or 

 soil, where they may be set half an inch apart. In 

 a few weeks they may be transplanted to small 

 pots ; this should be done before the. roots get long 

 and interlaced to such an extent that they are much 

 disturbed or injured in removing. 



PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS. 



There is little difficulty in raising plants from 

 cuttings, taken at a proper stage of growth and 

 placed in sand, having a proper amount of moisture 



