162 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
at this season, owing to the succulent nature of the cuttings. Even these kinds 
will now strike freely out of doors. Though they will do pretty well in any 
situation, still a south border is preferable, as they do best there owing to the 
greater warmth of the soil. 
Cuttings may be made of almost any size. Good-sized cuttings (cuttings 
with three or four joints), should be used when they can be had without 
injuring or disfiguring the plants, as they make good plants soonest; still, with 
new things, or any scarce sort, small cuttings (cuttings with two joints) may 
be used, and, if attended to in potting and shifting, will make good plants 
before the autumn. If the wood be ripe they may be propagated from single 
eyes, like Vines ; but in this case a good bottom heat is necessary. I once put 
some eyes into some pots the latter end of October, and placed them on the 
hot-water pipes in the Pine-pit. They soon put forth leaves and roots, and 
were then potted-off and kept in heat the whole of the winter; they were 
shifted in spring, and were large plants by the middle of May. 
It is advisable to commence putting in cuttings as soon as they can be had, 
especially of such sorts as are intended to be potted-off singly when rooted, 
and to be grown to good-sized plants. By being early struck and potted-off, 
the pots get well filled with roots before the autumn, and the plants can with 
great safety be kept in cold pits or frames, provided the frost is kept out. 
For striking the cuttings either of the following methods may be adopted:— 
1st. Take out the common soil of the border to the depth of about 4 inches, 
about 3 feet wide, and as long as may be required to hold the quantity of 
cuttings intended to be put in. This space should then be filled with a com¬ 
post of loam, leaf soil, or peat, and plenty of river or silver sand, which 
should be made pretty solid by pressing on it. Insert the cuttings in this soil 
about 3 inches apart, or a little more or less, according to the size of the 
cutting, and water gently with a fine rose. 
If the weather be dull when the cuttings are put in, they will not require 
any shading; but if very bright hot weather should prevail it will be advisable 
to stick some tree branches in front of them, so as to shade them partially, 
but not to obstruct the fall of the dew at night. 
The only other attention they will require is a little watering when dry, 
and pinching off any flower-stems that may appear, and picking off decayed 
leaves. In about a month the whole will be rooted, when they should be 
taken up and either potted-off singly or put into pans or boxes for the winter, 
to be afterwards potted-off or planted out into temporary pits, where they can 
be protected from frost, and where they may remain until the season for 
planting out arrives. In this maimer many fine large plants are obtained, 
which, if carefully transplanted and well watered, make a good show at once. 
2nd. The following plan I like best, and is the one I adopt myself:—The 
cuttings are put at once into pots and boxes, which are bedded or plunged in 
a south border. Here they will require the same attention in watering, &c., as 
those put into the borders, until they are rooted, when they may be either 
potted-off singly or kept as they are until spring. For cuttings put in after 
the middle of August this is a better plan than putting them into the soil in 
the borders, and having them to take up and store away in pots or boxes, as, in 
case of frost or bad weather, the pots or boxes, after the cuttings are rooted, 
can be put into a pit, frame, cold vinery, or shed, or under temporary pro¬ 
tection, and can be potted-off on wet days or other convenient times. By 
using plenty of sand in the compost for the cuttings, I have found Golden 
Chain and all other kinds of variegated Geraniums root freely when put in 
pots or boxes, and plunged in a south border. I would not, however, advise 
cuttings of these kinds to be put in after the 1st September. When not done 
