ON THE PROPAGATION OF CONIFERS. 
and not because of any impression it has made. It lias been contended that the lacing of a Pink ought 
to be on the edge of the petal, because a Piccotee is so. We assert, that the perfection of lacing in the 
pink is to have a white edging outside of it. There is no comparison in the brilliance of the one and 
the other ; there is nothing in common between the Piccotee and Pink to require or suggest that the 
lacing of the one should be like the edging of the other. The Pink is the more perfect according to the 
equality and smoothness of the lacing or band, whereas the Piccotee is perfect with a complete feather 
inwards, and the depth or shallowness of the feathering forms no part of the value, if it be perfect all 
round; but it must be fi'ee from any break, for a bit of white on the edge of a Piccotee — that is, a speck 
not covered with the coloui' of the feathering — is a distinct and special blemish. Let any indifferent 
person place a pink with a white edging all round on the outside of an even band or lacing, by the side 
of one of which the colour reaches the edge, and the ftrst glance will decide what we say. 
There is another point very obstinately contended for by some, who go to the letter of the law, as 
they caU it, instead of acting on the spii-it of it. In Dahlias, a cupped petal will beat a reflexed one, 
but a reflexed petal only tells a point against a flower. The variety which brings this argument to 
mind is the Princess Radzivill, which we contend, though having reflexed petals, is the best of all the 
flowers of its class. It has all the points but one ; it is a perfect two-tliii'ds of a ball, round in the 
outHnc, symmetrical in the disposition of the petals, perfect in the eye, and quite double, but the petals 
reflex. We have no other Dahlia so perfect, in all but the reflexing petals ; and merely one fault, or 
rather the absence of one beauty — the cupped petals — cannot make it even a questionable flower. In 
short, if there were flowers of all the colours we have as perfect as the Princess EadzivUl, no stand 
coald be placed in competition with them, and have the slightest hope of success. 
ON THE PEOPAGATION OF CONIFEE^. 
By M. COUETIN, op Bordeaux. 
The following are the principal kinds of Coniferse requiring particular modes of propagation : — 
Abies. See Pimis. 
Araucaria. The propagation of this genus varies considerably as regards the ease with which cut- 
tings are struck. The species which strikes most readily is A. Cunninghamii. To obtain young 
plants of this, select the cuttings in February or March from half-ripe side shoots about three inches 
long ; the terminal shoots of side branches may also be used. Let them lie till they ai'e somewhat 
dry, and having carefully cleaned the cut end, pot them in six-inch pots of clean moist sand, and keep 
them covered with a hand light in a greenhouse. When they have grown a few inches, bend the 
plants gently down towards the sm-face of the soil, and secm'e them in this position by small pegs ; 
this will induce them to break out at the base ; when the shoots which have thus pushed out have 
grown to a few inches, and have become somewhat strong, it will be necessary to cut off the branch 
which was bent down, wliich may be used again as a cutting. This mode of treatment is applicable 
to all ConiferEe. A. Cunninghamii may also be propagated by roots ; and if there be any old shabby 
plant, it is as well to sacrifice it for the sake of obtaining a stock of nice young healthy plants. Cut 
the roots in pieces of fom* or five inches in length, and choose those that are the thickness of a com- 
mon quill ; pot them in j)ots filled with sandy peat, keeping the cut level with the sm-face of the soil ; 
treat them afterwards lUve cuttings of ordinary plants, but do not cover them with anything. As 
seeds of Araucarias are easily obtained, only the better or more choice sorts should be grafted on 
seedlings about a year old, which will produce good strong plants in the shortest time, at least sooner 
than fi-om cuttings, especially if they are grafted as near the roots of the stock as possible. The 
best mode of grafting Araucarias is side-grafting ; bat the graft must be placed near the roots, and 
the operation performed in July or August. It is advisable to select only fine young terminal shoots. 
In nm'series, one good old strong plant should be kept for the piu'pose of producing cuttings. This 
may be attained by cutting down the heads of such plants as arc less serviceable for any other purpose. 
This wiU induce them to send out numerous young shoots near the cut, and on the stem. 
CalUtris (Fresnclia.) This is propagated by cuttings in August, but not very readily, as they do not 
strike freely. C. quadiivalvis may be grafted on stocks of the common Thujas, in the ordinary way, 
in the months of August and September. 
Cedrus. See Firms. 
Cephalotaxus. This very closely resembles the Taxus in habit, and may be readily worked on it. 
The large-leaved species are best propagated by cuttings. 
Cryptomeria japonica. This may be propagated pretty fi'eely, by cuttings, in August and Septem- 
