112 PLAN AND DESCRIPTION OF A HOUSE FOR STRIKING CUTTINGS. 
all the plants known, as every genus, and even species, differs more or less from 
another ; for instance, the common tree poeony, Paeonia Moutan , will root in six 
weeks, if the cuttings are put in soon after the plants are out of blow ; whilst the 
sweet-scented variety will only strike when planted previous to the flower expanding. 
The house built by Mr. Ronalds has been found to answer the purpose of a 
cutting-house very well. The front stage is used for plants which will not bear 
the damp atmosphere of the pit, as Epacris, Ericas , &c., &c. ; the pit is for the 
cuttings of such plants as require a damp atmosphere, as Camellias , Phillyreas , 
and many other evergreens, which require a little heat to make them root freely. 
When well rooted, remove them to another house, and make room for more on 
the shelves. The pots for cuttings cannot be too well drained; they should be 
half filled with broken potshards, and these covered over with a little rough peat 
or moss, which will keep the sand from sinking through. 
At the back of the pit there 
are iron supports, one inch square, 
each one solid bar, and bent as (2,) 
into which brackets are rivetted 
for the shelves to rest upon (3) ; 
the shelves are used for bulbous 
or tuberous rooted plants in winter, 
as F 'err arias, Dahlias , Gladio- 
luses , fyc. ; these extend the whole 
length of the house; there is a 
door through the back wall (4), 
to take any plants in the potting 
shed, without exposing them to 
the open air ; the two bottom shelves are divided, and take out easily when the 
pots of cuttings in the pit may require moving, to introduce new tan into the pit, or 
for other purposes. The pots of cuttings (5), are placed on the tan (6), and not 
