88 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ June, 
that have been thus partially divested of their 
roots to make stock have time to form more 
fibres and get established before winter, in a 
way not admissible if the operation was per¬ 
formed later on ; and if the disrooting thus 
necessary is done early in the spring, it has a 
serious effect in checking top-growth. 
I may here observe that the removal of roots 
for stock purposes should never be attempted 
with a plant that has not attained a moderate 
size and strength, otherwise the check will be 
proportionately greater, and the roots removed 
will not be sufficiently strong to break shoots 
that will form plants calculated to grow away 
freely. The method of procedure is to turn 
the plants about to be operated upon out 
of the pots, allowing the soil previously 
to have got a little dry, so that it will 
crumble away, without breaking more than is 
unavoidable of the small fibres; remove the 
crocks from the bottom, laying the plants down 
on the potting-bencli, and with the fingers 
gradually working the whole of the soil away 
from amongst the roots—in fact, literally 
effecting that -which is understood by com¬ 
pletely shaking-out, with the least possible 
mutilation. When thus divested of the soil, 
the plants will be found to consist of a stout, 
underground stem, more or less in length, and 
generally descending perpendicularly. This in 
healthy specimens will be studded from bottom 
to top with roots occupying a horizontal posi¬ 
tion. It is the strongest of these from which 
the future plants are to be made. They should 
be removed with a keen-edged knife close to 
the main stem ; the removal may extend to from 
one-half to two-thirds of the amount of roots 
the plants possess, in all cases taking the 
strongest. As soon as these are disentangled 
and got away, the plants should immediately 
be placed in smaller pots. They will thrive in 
either peat or loam, but I prefer the latter, 
when of a good free nature, using with it enough 
sand to make the whole porous, and such as 
will easily crumble to pieces,—a matter neces¬ 
sary to keep in sight for similar shakings-out 
at a future time, as if the material used is at 
all of a close adhesive nature, it cannot be re¬ 
moved from the roots without breaking them 
considerably. Usually pots two-thirds the 
size of those they have already occupied will 
bo big enough. Pot firm, and place the plants 
in a brisk growing temperature, in a compara¬ 
tively close atmosphere, for a few weeks, until 
the roots again begin to work. 
The roots to produce the young stock should 
at once be cut into lengths of from three- 
quarters to one inch each, the thicker portions 
being reduced to the former and the thinner 
ones to the latter size. Prepare a pan or pans, 
according to the number of cuttings, by suffi¬ 
ciently draining, and two-thirds filling with 
fine sandy soil, the remainder filled up with 
clean silver-sand; in this insert the cuttings 
an inch apart, just leaving the upper end on a 
level with the surface. Sprinkle slightly over¬ 
head with the syringe, and remove the pans 
directly to the stove, or propagating-pit. If 
loose sheets of glass are placed over the pans, 
it will prevent evaporation, and obviate the 
necessity of giving much water, which it is 
better to avoid until growth has commenced. 
For the same purpose, shade in sunny weather. 
In a few weeks they will begin to grow, when 
by degrees remove the glasses, giving more air 
and water. The young leaves first made will 
be very small, such as follow will gradually 
increase in size. As soon as they have made 
two or three, each an inch long, put them 
singly into small pots, using fine soil, similar to 
that advised for the cuttings, only with less 
sand, in the place of which add a little leaf- 
mould. They should be kept in the stove 
through the winter, stood on ashes or some 
moisture-holding material, as if stood on bare 
shelves, the little pots are apt to get dried up. 
A night temperature through the winter of GO 0 
will suit them, with a little more by day. In 
the spring, when growth has fairly commenced, 
and the small pots are tolerably full of roots, 
move into others a size or two larger, using 
soil such as before recommended. They should 
now, if possible, occupy a position on the side 
stage up to the glass, where they will get plenty 
of light, increasing the temperature as required 
for the general occupants of the house. 
The treatment henceforward will be of a 
routine character, simply giving more root- 
room as needed. A large well-developed 
specimen will do with, a pot 15 in. or 16 in. in 
diameter. After being fairly established, 
manure-water once or twice a week will be a 
great advantage. 
Returning to the old plants from which the 
