190 



THE GREEN-HOUSE. 



In planting, use a small dibble to make a hole for 

 the cutting, and press the earth or sand tightly to its 

 lower end. In general they should not be inserted 

 so thick as that the leaves will touch each other, and 

 sufficiently distant from the edges of the pot to admit 

 of their being covered with a bell-glass. As soon as 

 each pot is planted, and the surface of the mould 

 made level and firm, give them a gentle watering to 

 settle them : leave them to soak for a quarter of an 

 hour, and then cover them with a bell-glass, which 

 should be pressed sufficiently tight to exclude the 

 outward air. The pots should now be plunged in a 

 gentle hot-bed, or placed in a shady part of the pit of 

 a hot-house. 



Being plunged in a pit or hot-bed, the culture for 

 some weeks consists solely in taking off the glasses 

 every morning, and wiping their insides perfectly dry 

 with a cloth, and replacing them ; removing at the 

 same time any cuttings or leaves which happen to 

 damp off. When the sun shines unclouded, they 

 must be shaded for a few hours daily, moderately, by 

 a mat if in a hot-bed, or by sheets of paper if in a 

 hot-house pit ; but care must be taken not to leave 

 on the shade too late in the afternoon, as the soft 

 tender state of the cuttings renders them very liable 

 to damp off by overshading. 



In ten days or a fortnight the free-rooting kinds, 

 as the GeraniacecB, will be indicating a state of in- 

 cipient growth. When this is noticed, it will be ne- 

 cessary to give them a little air by taking the glasses 



