GREEN-HOUSE AT^D CONSERVATORY. 



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tural modes of propagation, great care should be taken by 

 the cultivator to save such as ripen in his own collection. 

 When the object is to perpetuate the same species or variety 

 pure and unadulterated, which is often the case, particularly with 

 the florist, every precaution should be taken to prevent them 

 being impregnated with the fertilizing dust of any other spe- 

 cies to which it may be allied ; but when the object is to in- 

 crease the number of varieties, a considerable degree of judg- 

 ment is required on the part of the cultivator; first, that 

 choice be made of two flowers, each partaking of certain pro- 

 perties, which, if combined in one, would make a hybrid, 

 possessing the wished-for merits. In such cases, nothing 

 should be left to chance : the male parts of the one may be 

 carefully cut out with a pair of very sharp-pointed scissars just 

 before the dust is ripe, and the dust of the other plant brought 

 into close contact with the female part of the flower operated 

 on. A careful observation is necessary to perform this im- 

 portant office at that exact period when the flowers of both 

 plants are in a proper state ; if this be not attended to, there 

 is little chance of success. Many splendid hybrid bulbs have 

 been thus produced by Messrs. Sweet, Colvil, and others, 

 one of which, Amaryllis Psittacina var., we have adopted for" 

 our plate, and some beautiful Passijloras, by Mr. Milne. 

 Fruits by Mr. Knight ; and florist's flowers by almost every 

 one eminent in that fancy 



Offsets, may be termed young radical bulbs, which, when 

 separated from the parent-roots produce plants exactly similar 

 to them, and never sport into varieties or monstrosities like 

 the progeny of seeds, except from accidental causes. 



Slips, are produced upon almost all herbaceous plants, and 

 some shrubs, and issue from the plants near the surface of the 

 ground, as in the case of Auricula, and similar plants. The 

 proper period of their growth, when they are fit to be taken 

 off", is when the part of the slip next the ground attains a 

 somewhat firm texture, or what is technically called ripe. The 

 operation of propagating by this means, consists simply of 

 separating the slips from the parent-plant, by pulling or twist- 

 ing them off", which is no difficult mutter ; and as they gene- 

 rally bring off' a heel or piece of the old wood or stem of the 

 plant with them, to which sometimes are appended roots, or 



