114 
ON THE PROPAGATION OF CAPE HEATHS. 
greenhouse in this country, collected as they ripen, and general sowing made in 
the ensuing February or March. The pots intended for the seeds should be filled 
about half full with the drainage, and the remaining space with the soil, which 
should be intermixed so as it may consist of half peat, and half sand, finely sifted, 
for the depositing of the seeds, and rendered perfectly level, when the seed may 
be sown, but observing not to bury them too deep in the soil ; a very slight cover- 
ing will be quite sufficient. In short, if they are merely covered, it will be all 
that is necessary. After the seeds are committed to the soil, they should have a 
gentle sprinkling of water to settle the soil about them, which must always be given 
to the seed-pot, by a very fine rose on the watering-pot. The seed-pots should 
then be placed in a cool frame, where they can be shaded from the mid-day sun, and 
the soil in the pots kept in a moist and vegetating state, and when they make their 
appearance through the soil, a little air ought to he given, which will prevent the 
young plants from being drawn up weakly, and damping off. When the seedling 
plants have obtained the height of two or three inches, they should be put into small 
sized pots, in the same soil as was mentioned for the sowing of the seeds in ; five 
or six plants may be placed round the edges of each pot, which should be again 
replaced in the frame, and kept shaded until they begin to strike root in the fresh 
soil, when they may be gradually exposed to the sun and air ; and after they appear 
to have got well rooted, and are growing freely, they should be put out singly into 
small sized pots, with as much of the soil attached to the young fibres as possible. 
When the plants are young, they will require to be frequently shifted ; but this 
operation must be regulated according to their growth, and as they fill their pots 
with young roots. < 
But the most general method of increasing the Heath in this country, is, by 
propagating from cuttings of the young shoots, which should be taken off when 
the wood becomes of a firm texture, when it will not be so liable to be injured by 
damp, as is frequently the case when put into the cutting pot in a tender state. 
The best season for putting in heath cuttings is from March to July ; but the 
operator must be guided in this by the state of the shoots which are intended for 
this purpose. In fact, most of the species will strike root if put in at any period 
of the year, provided the cuttings are taken off when in a fit state. To procure 
shoots of the less free growing sorts, they may assist by placing the plants in a 
little artificial heat, at the early part of the season, which will be the means of 
furnishing good cuttings, when they should be carefully stripped of their leaves to 
about half the length of the cutting, with a sharp knife or scissors, and the end cut 
clean across ; they will then be ready for inserting into the cutting pots, that 
should be previously prepared, and filled within a couple of inches of the rim 
with the drainage; and then have a layer of the fibrous parts of the soil placed 
over the crocks, when the remaining space should be filled up with sharp pit sand, 
well washed, and cleared from all earthy matter, &c. The sand should, lastly, be 
well watered, and made perfectly firm and level, when it will be fit for the reception 
of the cuttings, which should not be inserted deeper in the sand than is 
