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planted deep, though large ones ought to be inserted deeper than small. 

 In the case of evergreens, the leaves ought to be kept from touching the 

 soil, or they will damp or rot off: and in the case of tubular- stalked 

 plants, which are in general not veiy easily struck, owing to the water 

 lodging in the tube, and rotting the cutting, both ends may in some cases 

 be advantageously inserted in the soil, as, besides a greater certainty- of 

 success, there is a chance that two plants may be produced. Too much 

 light, air, water, heat, or cold are alike injurious. To guard against these 

 extremes in tender sorts, the best means hitherto demised, is that of 

 inclosing an atmosphere over the cuttings by means of a hand or bell- 

 glass, according to their dehcacy. This preserves a uniform stillness and 

 moisture of atmosphere. Immersing the pot in earth has a tendency to 

 preserve a steady, uniform degree of moisture at their roots, and shading 

 prevents the bad effects of too much light. The only method of regu- 

 lating the heat is by double or single coverings of glass or mats, or both, 

 A hand-glass placed over a bell-glass will preserve a very constant degree 

 of heat. What that degree of heat ought to be is generally decided by 

 that requisite for the mother plant. ^Miatever degree of heat is natural 

 to the mother plant when in a growing state will in general be most 

 favourable to the growth of cuttings.^' — Ency. Gard, 



Cuttings of stove plants may be planted at almost any season, but of 

 course the dark months of winter ai'e the least favourable, and the spring 

 and early summer months the most so, as the plants are at those periods 

 best fiu'iiished with young wood, which, as we have ah-eady stated, roots 

 miich more freely than old. On the purity- of the soil, the late Gushing 

 justly remarks, depends in a great measure the success of many of the 

 tenderer kinds of cuttings, particulaiiy those that are obhged to be kept in 

 a moist heat, as the soil is,, when contaminated with other compost, very 

 liable in those situations to cause damp and rottenness by the particles of 

 putref^-ing matter generally contained in mixed earths^ and the properties 

 of which are put in motion by the appHcation of heat. As an exception 

 to this rule may be adduced sand, which is of veiy great utiHty to mix 

 with the loam, should it happen to be rather stiff' for the nature of the 

 cutting ; but then the sand proper for tliis use is of so pm'e a natm-e in 

 itself, that it is evident it cannot have the effect noticed above. 



Cuttings should be planted as soon after they are taken off as possible, 

 and when planted receive a gentle watering, both to refresh them, and 

 to form the sand or mould more closely round them for the exclusion of 

 air. AYhen they have remained for a short time to allow the leaves to 

 become pretty dry, the bell-glasses should be put over those that require 



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