908 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[June, 



plenty of water, they should then be disengaged from the 

 parent plants, by being cut off about an inch nearer the old 

 plant, than where the roots of the young one are protruding. 

 They should be carefully taken up, with as much ball at their 

 roots as will adhere to them, and planted out in nursing-beds, 

 to remain till wanted for planting out into the flower garden 

 borders ; but those which are considered as the most valuable 

 sorts should be potted, one plant in each pot, of the size known 

 as small forty-eights, and placed in a frame and shaded till 

 they have taken fresh root and have begun to grow. 



Pinks are propagated, as has been already observed, like 

 carnations, by seed, pipings, and layers. 



In the first place, to produce new varieties, bf/ seed — The 

 pink being a much hardier plant than the carnation, it ripens 

 its seeds more frequently with us, and is sown and afterwards 

 treated exactly like the carnation. 



Bf/ pipings. — This is the most usual method of propagating 

 this flower, and is performed at that time when the young 

 shoots are sufficiently strong to admit of the operation, which 

 is generally during or immediately previous to its flowering. 

 The operation is performed the same as has been already de- 

 scribed for carnations, although many do not apply any bottom- 

 heat. The application of a slight bottom-heat is the most 

 certain and also the most expeditious method, the plants 

 being much sooner fit for transplanting into nursing-beds. 



Pinks are also sometimes propagated bt/ layers, but this is 

 only adopted when the sorts intended to be propagated are of 

 a delicate or valuable nature ; but it is never carried to any 

 extent, as it is both tedious and troublesome. 



AURICULAS AND POLYANTHUSES. 



Auriculas and polyanthuses in pots should be kept in a 

 shaded situation during the heat of the summer months, and 

 supplied with water plentifully. Indeed, all plants of the 

 family Primula should be kept in shaded and rather damp 

 situations in summer ; as, if exposed to the full sun, they will 

 do little good, being for the most part plants of shade or na- 

 tives of cold and humid atmospheres. 



