May*] GREEN-HOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 1063 



The tender annuals, particularly some of those latterly 

 introduced, will make a fine show here till the season returns 

 when the green-house plants must again occupy their own 

 place. The conservatory may be kept gay now by the intro- 

 duction of many of them into it, tastefully arranged through 

 it amongst the other plants, and into such parts of it as were 

 lately occupied by fine specimens of plants in ornamental pots 

 or vases, and which will now be disposed of out of doors. 

 When any of the flowers decay, they should be cut off, where 

 the saving of seeds is no object ; and those plants which be- 

 come old or sickly, should be also removed, and replaced 

 with others in greater perfection. Climbing plants should be 

 attended to and regularly tied up, and all dead or decaying 

 leaves picked off them, and the whole should be kept clean 

 and neat, and all parts that will admit of it duly washed, or 

 otherwise cleaned. 



PROPAGATING GREEN-HOUSE AND CONSERVATORY PLANTS. 



This is a very proper season for propagating most or all woody 

 or shrubby plants, such as Banksias, Dri/andras, MetrosideroSf 

 and similar plants, and in particular most of the genus Erica, 

 as the young wood of all these species, and most of a similar 

 description, will be in a fit state for the process. As the season 

 is now sufficiently mild for such plants to stand out in the 

 open air, it is also found that the process of propagation goes 

 on much better out than in the house which has become much 

 too warm for them. A sheltered and somewhat shaded situ- 

 ation should be made choice of, such as behind a wall or 

 hedge, but not under the di'ip of trees. A bed of decayed tan, 

 coal-ashes, or similar matter, should be prepared for the pur- 

 pose, deep enough to admit the pots being plunged up to their 

 brims ; over this bed, so formed, should be placed a close 

 fi*ame and lights, under which the pots should be plunged as 

 they are filled with cuttings. As the pots are plunged they 

 should be covered with hand-glasses, in addition to the bell- 

 glasses over each pot, particularly heaths and similar plants. 

 Hai'dier or more free-striking cuttings need only be covered 

 with the hand-glasses ; and such as are evergreen and large 



