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HOME-MADE 
PROPAGATING BOX. 
The Cabinet for November lias a most excellent 
article on the advantages of using the cold frame to 
start seed and cuttings in early spring. As many 
ladies, like myself, are deprived of this privilege from 
fear of taking cold, etc., I venture to give my expe¬ 
rience in making and using a propagating box in 
the house. The expense is trifling, and any one who 
can use a hammer, nails, and small saw can make 
one. Will here say that mine has been a perfect 
success, and will continue its use as long as I am 
able to cultivate flow¬ 
ers. It consists of 
three wooden boxes, 
a galvanized iron pan, 
and a low coal-oil 
lamp. Two of the 
boxes are 2 feet wide 
by three feet long, 
the third a common 
soap-box. Have the 
larger boxes, which I 
shall number as 1 and 
2 , about eight inches 
high in the front by 
18 in the back ; this 
gives the necessary 
slope for light. Nail 
a strip of lath on the 
outside edge of both 
ends and the front, 
projecting one-fourth 
of an inch higher 
than the edge of box; 
this is to keep the 
glass from slipping 
off when placed on 
the box. Common 
window-glass will answer, taking measure for same 
after the box is finished. It need not fit tightly, and 
may be in three or four panes, but must be of a 
width or length to reach from back to front. Glass 
can be tilted at the back to give ah when needed. 
Have several nail or gimlet holes in bottom of each 
for drainage. Use clean river sand three or four 
inches deep in No. 1; water it well, and see that it 
settles evenly ; No. 2 will not require it deeper than 
two inches; this finishes the two large boxes. For 
the smaller, or No. 3, remove the top; have four holes 
the size of a silver quarter made in the sides oppo¬ 
site each other; these to give air to the lamp. Re¬ 
move one side—to be replaced with hinges and a 
button to fasten it—this to use as a door in placing 
and removing the lamp. Let this door be at the 
back of the box for greater convenience. Remove 
the lamp when the heat is too great, and always at 
night,, covering the entire arrangement with blankets 
if very cold weather. Have the pan made at the 
tinner’s, 4 inches deep, of a size to fit the opening in 
top of bos No. 3, with a flange an inch wide all 
around the top edge; to hold it in place. This pan 
is to be kept two-tliirds full of water, the lamp, sit¬ 
ting directly under it, heats it quite to boiling heat; 
this furnishes the necessary “ bottom heat.” 
Box No. 1 is to be placed directly on top of this 
pan, and is now ready for the cuttings. Box No. 2 
is to be arranged just the same as to the glass, etc., 
but will not require heat. Each must be elevated to 
a level with the window-sill, placing the front toward 
the light. No. J must be constantly shaded, and 
kept quite wet, using a very fine rose to the water¬ 
ing-pot to avoid disturbing the cuttings, as the}’ 
must be as firm in the sand as you can make them; 
they need not reach far into it, merely enough to 
cover the eye or end placed in; if very small, use 
broom-straws, bent double, to hold them in place. 
Place vaiieties of one kind in separate rows, as some 
Favorite Rustic Seat oe "William Citllen Bryant. 
kinds root sooner than others; this will make it easier 
when potting. It will be necessary" to be supplied 
with a hundred or more small pots of sizes 2, 3, and 4 
inches. In potting the cuttings use smallest size pot 
first; when this is filled with roots repot to 3-inch 
pots, and so on to 4 and even 5, always placing the 
newly-potted plants in box No. 2, shading at each 
potting or repotting for a day or more; also keep 
them watered evenly and regularly, using the fine 
rose, as above. I use whitening mixed to a cream 
paste with quite blue indigo water, to paint the under 
side of glass of box No. 1, but not so blue as to make 
it dark —about like light blue tissue-paper. 
With regard to size and amount of foliage of cut¬ 
ting, the whole question lies here: provided you can 
place cutting in such condition of shade and atmos¬ 
pheric moisture as to force the leaves to absorb as 
much as they perspire. The larger the cutting and 
the more foliage it has, the stronger the plant will 
be. If these conditions are not to be had, the more 
foliage the more the juices will be lost, and the plant 
will damp off. This is not so quickly seen in a suc¬ 
culent plant, as geranium, etc., as in the rose or any 
woody stem plant. If desired to start flower or vege¬ 
table seed, I use shallow cigar-boxes, pierce holes all 
through the bottom, using a compost of.leaf-mould, 
garden soil, and sand, equal parts. Water each box 
well with hot water, let it settle awhile, then sprinkle 
a light layer of clear sand evenly over it, place the 
seed evenly, and, if possible, each one separately, 
sprinkle enough leaf-mould and sand over them to 
merely cover them, water slightly again with warm 
water, place doubled flannel, wrung out of hot water, 
over each box, set boxes on the sand in box No. 1, 
give air and water as needed. But they will require 
very little water, and as soon as the germ breaks the 
soil remove the flannel. Pot in smallest size, several 
to each pot; as soon as the second or true leaves 
appear, the same kind of soil as in the seed-boxes. 
Calcffiolaria, Primu¬ 
la, Begonia, Cycla¬ 
men, and many other 
fine green-house seed 
can be started and 
successfully grown in 
this way; the first 
and third named be¬ 
ing merely sprinkled 
on the soil ivithout 
any further covering. 
I started and raised 
from large blooming 
plants, last spring, 
some four hundred, 
and hundreds of fine 
plants from seed. 
Hope to do even bet¬ 
ter this year, as I 
have had a small 
cold frame made, 
where I can remove 
my plants as soon as 
they are potted the 
second time. I hope 
the readers of the 
Cabinet will suc¬ 
ceed in understanding my description, and try the 
plan for themselves. Tliey will be astonished with 
their success, especially the newly potted little cut¬ 
tings in full bloom in box No. 2. Of course the buds 
O 
were in the cuttings, and developed as they rooted. 
I always remove the bloom, and pinch the ends of all 
off, to induce side growth and stocky plants. 
Now, will some one oblige me, with probably many 
others, in giving their experience, plant, cost, and 
manner of caring for a pit to grow roses, etc. ? 
Newport, Ky. S- C. 
A TEAR. 
From Heaven dropped a tear, which thought to be 
For ever lost within the sea. 
A shell, enclosing it, said : “Have no fear, 
For thou shalt be my pearl, O tear ! 
Fear not the mighty waves ; but trust to me 
To bear thee through them in security. 
Oh! thou, my joy, of all my joys the best, 
Thou heavenly tear within my breast. 
The pearliest of thy tears thou’st given to me, 
0 Heaven ! to guard and keep for thee.” 
