ible, that is,
with a piece of the old wood attached. All but the topmost leaves should
be pinched off, and then the cuttings must be inserted round the sides of
the pot, and the soil well pressed down,--the best cuttings in the world
cannot make roots unless this be attended to. After that a good watering
should be given them, and the pots set in a shady place till they have
emitted roots, which may be known by the fact of their beginning to make
new leaves. Some cuttings root better when the cut is allowed to form a
"callus," which in warm weather only takes a few hours.

=Rose cuttings= root very well out of doors on a north border, and trees
produced in this manner are often very satisfactory, but they take a long
while to come to a flowering stage, somewhat trying the patience of ardent
amateurs.

One can gradually get quite a nice collection of interesting plants, by
striking all the likely shoots in the different bunches of flowers
received from friends, but it is generally best to identify them as soon
as possible, so as to give each the right treatment.

=Propagation by seed= is quite a fascinating employment, and is a
successful method, if pains are taken; though so many amateurs seem to
fail. I have found it the safest plan, with all except the largest seeds,
to bring them up under glass. Even the hardiest can be treated in this
way, and one feels so much more sure of the result. For one thing, birds
cannot get at them, therefore there is no need to make a network of black
cotton to keep them off; neither can the cat meddle with them, and we all
know pussy is a very bad gardener.

=The pans= specially sold for the purpose are the best, but pots will do
very well. Fill them with fine moist soil, and press firmly down; then
scatter the seed thinly on the top, and only cover with a slight layer of
soil, afterwards placing in a dark corner. Where the seed is very small,
do not cover with any mould at all, but, as an extra protection, place a
piece of cardboard over the top of the pot, so that they shall not be
blown away. =Seeds like a still atmosphere=, moisture, warmth, and
darkness. Seeds and seedlings must not be watered in the ordinary way, but
the pan containing them should be placed in a saucer of water, when enough
moisture will be drawn up by capillary attraction. Thinning is extremely
necessary; every plant must be given room to attain its full dimensions;
where this is not done, the result is most u