The Amateur Propagator\ 81 
Handlights (Fig. 17) are useful, too, for striking hardy plants—calceolarias, 
and so forth. They may be obtained ready-made of all seedsmen. The 
light frames, made of wood and portable, like Fig. 18, are exceedingly useful 
for propagating all kinds of hardy and half-hardy plants, and for “ hardening- 
off” plants raised in heat. Equally as useful are the three-quarter span 
frames, represented by Fig. 19, or the span-roof kinds. 
Soils. —For ordinary purposes, any light soil containing a fair porportion 
of sand will suffice. All soils, however, used for raising seeds should, as far 
as possible, be free from weed seeds; and to ensure this, it should be slightly 
baked over a fire before using. For raising choice plants good sandy loam, 
fine sandy peat, some well-decayed leaf mould—not manure—coarse and 
fine silver sand, wood, charcoal, and cocoanut-fibre refuse, are indispensable 
propagating requisites. Common sand, or such as is of a reddish hue, 
is unsuitable for striking the cuttings of many plants. If silver sand is not 
obtainable, the red sand must be well washed in water to remove the oxide 
of iron. Sea sand answers well for striking most cuttings. 
Propagation by Seed.— Now we come to the most important part of 
this chapter, namely, the description of the various methods of propagation. 
