238 
THE FLORIST S JOURNAL. 
from a seedling plant will sooner arrive at a flowering state 
than the parent plant itself. After thus briefly dilating upon 
this interesting operation, I will now, as succinctly as possible, 
state the method of raising from cuttings. 
Probably in no part of the world are there so many heaths 
propagated, or so soon ready for sale, as in the neighbourhood 
of London. To those unacquainted with the practice, the 
rapidity with which a young stock is got up would surprise 
them. I speak more especially with reference to the free 
growing sorts. About the beginning of February, and some¬ 
times sooner, young and healthy plants are taken into a house 
and placed near a glass, the average heat being from 50° to 55° 
(Fahrenheit): this will be sufficient to excite them rapidly into 
growth. When the young shoots are about half an inch in 
length, they should be taken off* as near to the place from 
whence they commenced growing as possible; then with the 
propagating scissors, remove the leaves close to the stem, from 
about one half of the cutting, and with a sharp knife cut the 
base smoothly off, and immediately insert it in the pot ready 
prepared to receive it. In performing this operation great care 
must be taken that the cutting is not bruised, for being forced 
wood, it is very susceptible of injury. After being watered, 
and as soon as the leaves are dry, place the bell glass on, and 
plunge the pot to within two inches of the rim in half-spent 
tan, or any thing which will produce a steady but not too 
strong a degree of heat; cuttings treated in this manner will 
strike freely in the course of three w T eeks or a month. I may 
here observe that many persons before putting the vestitce in 
the forcing-house, completely strip them of their foliage to 
cause them to break more freely; but healthy young plants, 
when excited, will produce plenty of young wood without re¬ 
sorting to the above. The most common, and decidedly the 
most sure, method to pursue with regard to heaths, is to take 
the cuttings from plants grown in the usual manner, but let the 
wood be as young as possible ; treat the cuttings as detailed 
above, with this exception, that instead of plunging the pot in 
any warm material, plunge it in coal ashes or sand, but in a 
house where there is a higher degree of temperature than that 
from which the cutting was taken. It is a good thing with the 
more difficult sorts to set a small 60 or thumb-pot in the middle 
