WISD O ir GA RDIJMXG. 5 \ 
Another desirablo way is to pack the pot in which the seeds are phmted, into 
another pot of larger size, and fill up the space with moss, refuse hops or tan 
bark, which can be kept both warm and moist with liot water. A little of it can 
stand in the saucer which holds the largest pot, and thus a uniform state of 
moisture can be preserved. 
Ilard shelled seeds, like Canna, Acacias, Cypress Vines, etc., will germinate 
much quicker if they are soaked in boiling water for an hour or so. Turn it 
upon them boiling hot, and let it stand until cool, then plant the seeds. Some 
gardeners prefer to pour boiling water upon the surface of the soil prepared for 
them, rather than upon the seeds. Either way will succeed, but it is essential 
to soften the horny substance which envelops the seeds, if you desire them to 
grow. 
Verbena seeds require soaking in warm water over night ; turn the water upon 
them, and let the cup stand in a warm place. 
Many beautiful plants can be rais«d from seeds as easily as from cuttings, and 
l>e more highly appreciated because they are all your own, developed by your 
patient care and attention. 
Begonias, Callas, Oleanders, Cyclamens, Calceolarias, Gloxinias, Primulas, 
Carnations, Lantanas, Coleus, Heliotropes, Geraniums, Cinerarias, Pelargo- 
niums, Camelliiis, Abutilons and Cacti, etc., can all be made to grow into fine 
plants, but it requires constant care anj patience to cultivate them. 
Some of them are very long in germinating, others in blooming, and they re- 
quire much time, for the least neglect will often prove fatal to them. 
Cuttings. 
There is little trouble raising plants from cuttings ; a few rules are es.sentia), 
and a little care and time are requisite, but any one can make them strike root. 
They can be struck either from woody pieces without leaves, but all ready to 
send them forth, or from young green shoots. 
The first mentioned will rarely fail to grow, but they grow slowly, taking 
sometimes a long time to start the first leaf, while the nice green shoots will 
quickly become respectable plants. But it is well to know that if the branches 
of an old plant are broken down, the hard woody stems will produce iu time, tine 
plants. 
Take a hard old stem of Geranium, Fuchsias, Myrtle, Heliotrope. Sweet Ver- 
bena, or any desirable plant, and cut it so as to leave one or two joints or ey>s5 
on a piece, (a joint is the slight thickening of the branch whence the leaves and 
side branches will come out), set them into a damp sponge or moss, keeping it 
moistened, for four or five days, a week may not be too long, but keep them in a 
dark caol place. A slight callous will then be formed, and the cutting will be 
all ready to put forth fi-esh roots as soon as it is potted. 
In carrying 'cuttings from place to place, it is best to wrap them in a damp 
sponge, leaving out the upper leaves, and covering the sponge with oil silk ct 
