274 
THE ELOmST. 
Pinceana, I am unacquainted with any plant which requires so little 
artificial heat, and so little care generally in its management, which is 
equal in respect of both beauty and fragrance. That it is not more 
generally cultivated is owing, I believe, to a somewhat prevalent, but 
mistaken notion, that it is difficult to manage. I must, however, 
admit that it is somewhat difficult to propagate, as cuttings, when not 
well matured, are apt to damp off in bottom heat; and when too hard, 
they frequently take so long to root that they exhaust the patience of 
the propagator; and it is difficult, if not absolutely impossible, to give 
instructions which would enable the inexperienced person to select 
cuttings in the proper stage of ripeness; but practice and careful 
observation will overcome this difficulty, and the Luculia will be found 
to root in bottom heat in a shorter time than is required by many of 
our favourite plants. Until this is the case, however, adopt the 
following method, which, if slow, has the recommendation of being sure. 
Select cuttings of short-jointed pieces as early in the season as they 
can be had in a rather hard state. These may be obtained in May, if 
a plant is left without being cut down after flowering. Slip them off 
with a heel, and use the knife merely to- remove any loose bark which 
may extend beyond the wood, and to divest them of superfluous leaves. 
Insert the cuttings thus prepared in small thumb pots filled with sandy 
peat, and give a moderate watering, to settle the soil, &c. But observe, 
with respect to the soil, that it should be in a rather moist state when 
used, as the cuttings are impatient of damp, which, in the event of 
repeated waterings being necessary, it is difficult to prevent. After 
potting, place them in a shady situation in a house, the temperature of 
which may average 55®, and cover them with a handglass. The only 
farther attention which they will require will be an occasional sprinkling 
of water ; this should be applied towards the evening, the plants left 
uncovered until the following morning, and in cloudy weather it may 
be necessary to remove the handglass, or place it so that there may be 
a circulation of air, so as to prevent damp. If cuttings are properly 
attended to in these respects, and allowed to remain during the summer 
in some quiet corner, the probability is that nine-tenths of them will 
root. They should be carefully attended to during the winter, and 
should not be thrown away, even if after having been in the cutting 
pots the whole summer they should not he found rooted, give them the 
farther chance of a little bottom heat during next January. As soon 
as they are fairly rooted, they will grow away freely, and should be 
shifted into a size larger pots, and gradually exposed to a freer circu¬ 
lation of air. No advantage will be gained by keeping them in a 
temperature exceeding 60®, as, if they are kept in a wanner place, 
they will grow weaker, and will require so much stopping to keep them 
bushy, that the loss will probably exceed the profit. As the sun 
becomes powerful, it will be necessary to shade at least a few hours 
during the middle of the day, for this plant is exceedingly liable to 
suffer from the direct rays of the sun; and I have never been able to 
do any good with it, except when I could protect in this respect; and 
I have also found that sudden exposure to drying currents of air 
injures it more than most plants. With attention to its wants in these 
