182 
THE PELARGONIUM. 
The propagation of established varieties, as occupying most 
attention at the present season, may properly be spoken of as an 
introduction to the subsequent management of mature specimens. 
Various modes of propagation are resorted to by different growers, 
or rather the particular manner of conducting the operation is 
varied, perhaps in the beginning by the force of local circum¬ 
stances, until, by the attendance of continued success, it is re¬ 
ceived by the operator and others as a complete ne plus ultra, 
while the same end may be obtained equally as well by another 
individual in quite an opposite manner. This is mentioned to 
explain that, what may appear different or even irreconcilable to 
the practice of some readers, may nevertheless be taken as one 
means of attaining the same end. Thus, Mr. Catleugh’s mode of 
striking the cuttings in the open border may be instanced as one 
way, though not that which appears to promise the most, be¬ 
cause, after so treating them, it is necessary to keep an elevated 
temperature about the plants in winter, in order to have them of 
the requisite size by spring; whereas, did the cuttings receive 
encouragement in the shape of a gentle bottom heat, to induce 
them to root quickly, much valuable time in the autumn would 
be saved, during which the plants would be growing, and thus 
have an opportunity of establishing themselves perfectly before 
the winter, in which case but little assistance will be required 
from artificial heat, and in all probability they will be in a much 
better condition to withstand any vicissitudes they may have to 
encounter than when full of immature leaves and shoots. On 
this account it certainly must be desirable to have the cuttings 
struck as quickly as possible in the season. The manner of 
doing it is this : let a dung-bed be prepared at least a week pre¬ 
vious to the separation of the cuttings, so that its heat may 
become moderate and steady—a temperature of about 60° or 65° 
is most appropriate, and, when this can be depended on, spread 
a layer of about six inches of fine sandy soil over the surface, 
and take off as many as may be required, at the same time cutting 
the old plants back to within three or four eyes or joints of the 
base of the season’s growth. The cuttings must then be dressed 
by removing the lower leaves to within about tw o joints of the 
top, reducing the slips to about four inches in length, by cutting 
straight through the stem immediately below a joint with a sharp 
