O 2 
Garden Work 
of glass and paper to keep the soil uniformly moist until 
germination has taken place. As soon as the seedlings 
appear, the covering must be removed. When high 
enough they should be pricked out on to a border which 
has been specially prepared by the addition of well-rotted 
manure and loam to the ordinary soil. They must be 
well watered in dry weather. These may remain on the 
border until the autumn, when they may be planted out 
into their permanent quarters. When they bloom, they 
should be carefully watched, and only the best plants, viz. 
those which combine the two special qualities of being 
robust and having flowers of distinct colours which do 
not split the calyx, should be kept for propagating pur- 
poses. 
The general method of propagation is by layering. 
This should be done about the end of July or beginning 
of August. Good strong side shoots should be selected, 
from which the leaves should be carefully stripped to 
within a short distance of the apex. A sharp, clean knife 
should then be placed under the stem, cutting into the 
middle of it and then right up the centre through at least 
one joint. A very small piece of wood or stone should 
then be placed in the cut to keep it open. Previous to 
this, however, 2 in. of sandy soil should have been put 
down round the plant, and after scraping away some of 
the soil the shoots should be pegged down with wire or 
bracken pegs, and covered over with an inch or so of the 
sandy soil. These must be regularly watered if the 
weather is at all dry. 
If the plants have rooted well they may be lifted and 
planted into their permanent quarters during the autumn, 
