CULTURE OF THE GENUS PROTEA. 
231 
Propagation by Offsets . Separate the offsets from the bulbs at the time of 
potting, and treat them as recommended above. ^ 
By Seeds. Sow the seeds in March in pots or pans, filled with light sandy soil, 
and place them in a little heat. When they are up place them in an airy situation, 
give them a proper supply of water, and assist their growth by every means, and 
they will form good roots by the autumn, and at the time of the spring potting they 
may be taken up and planted in sixty -sized pots, and be treated like old plants. 
By Cuttings of the Root. All the fibrous rooted kinds, as repens , foribunda, 
&c., are propagated by this means. See 0. foribunda, as above. 
Cuttings of the Stem. This is the way the shrubby kinds are propagated. They 
are planted in pots of sand or sandy peat early in spring, plunged in a gentle bottom 
heat, and covered with a glass. When struck, they are potted off into single pots, 
and treated like other tender stove plants. 
Annual species. There is nothing peculiar in the treatment of these, the hardy 
kinds merely requiring to be sown in light soil, as other annuals, and the greenhouse 
kinds as half hardy annuals. 
AlUadmirers of this tribe of plants should possess 0. Deppei, Bowei, pulchella, 
crenata, Simsii , and foribunda. 
CULTURE OF THE GENUS PROTEA. 
The difficulty of the culture of this genus of plants may be readily removed by 
attention to the following simple rules : — 
1 . Pot the plants in a soil composed of one half turfy loam, taken from the top 
spit of a pasture, and laid together till rotten, and one-fourth fine sand, and one- 
fourth peat ; mix the whole well together, and break them fine, but by no means 
sift them. 
2. Place them in pots proportioned to the size of the plants ; they will not bear 
to be cramped, nor do they thrive when the roots have too much room. 
3. Fill nearly one-third of each pot with broken potsherds, to prevent the soil 
from being sodden with wet; the roots also delight to grow in this rubble. 
4. All this genus of plants suffer greatly if allowed to droop for want of water, 
the fibrous>oots are of so tender and fleshy a nature that when they become dry and 
are allowed to remain so for any length of time they seldom recover. 
5. These plants not only suffer seriously by drought, but they soon die if kept 
too moist ; regularity in supplying water, as well as good drainage, is therefore 
indispensable. 
fr Always allow them to stand where they will enjoy a free circulation of air, 
for if crowded they will soon suffer, if not die. 
7. Propagation .-^- They are propagated by cuttings. Always select the wood 
