THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



many more are the reverse of presentable, but this is due to faulty treatment, and not to 

 any inherent weakness in the plants. 



Kaising from Seed. — Baising new varieties from seed is comparatively easy. 

 Crosses may be effected by amateurs. The flowers of a chosen variety for bearing seed 

 should have the anthers removed before they burst, and pollen applied to the stigma, 

 this being taken from another variety different in colour. Immediately protect the flower 

 thus fertilised with fine gauze to prevent insects conveying pollen — it may be from 

 an inferior variety, thereby spoiling a well-planned cross. The seed must be gathered 

 when ripe, and may be sown in February in shallow pans filled with fine sandy peat, 

 and placed in heat ; cover the pans with a square of glass, and shade heavily till the 

 seedlings appear and lightly afterwards. When they have formed two or three leaves, 

 carefully transfer the seedlings to other pans of sandy peat, disposing them an inch or 

 two apart, and grow them in gentle heat, taking care to shade from bright sunshine. 

 Early in the following spring place them singly in 2|-inch pots, gentle heat and a moist 

 atmosphere hastening their growth. Top once to make the plants branch, and flower 

 them in small pots for testing the varieties, increasing the more meritorious by grafting. 



Propagation by Cuttings. — Some of the free-growing varieties succeed well on 

 their own roots, and these may easily be raised from cuttings and grown into flowering 

 plants. Select half-ripened shoots not quite 3 inches in length, trim off the lower pair 

 of leaves, and cut the stems cleanly below a joint, as shown in Fig. 72 (a). Prepare a pan 

 or pot by well draining, then partly and firmly filling with sandy peat, with 1 inch of silver 

 sand on the top of this (see Fig. 73), and insert the cuttings just deep enough to rest 

 on the soil, while the base of the leaves touch the sand. Water gently, cover with a 

 bell glass, place in a temperature of 55° to 60°, shade carefully, and wipe the glass dry 

 every morning. When the cuttings are rooted transfer the pots to a greenhouse shelf 

 for about a fortnight, covering with the bell glass during the daytime only. After this 

 preparation, separate the plants with great care, not breaking a root, and place them 

 singly in 2 -inch pots, pressing down the sandy peat soil firmly. Keep them in a warm 

 close frame till they have formed fresh roots, then gradually expose to more light and 

 air, but not subjecting them to quite cool treatment. Top the growths from time to 

 time to make the plants dwarf and compact, and give a small shift as required. 



Propagation by Grafting. — Most of the Indian azaleas grown in this country are 

 grafted plants. When weakly-growing varieties are established on vigorous stocks a 

 free-growing habit is imparted ; grafting also affords a ready means of raising a large 



