supplied in a hillock of soil, as when a portion of the soil is placed
within a garden pot; this vessel can certainly have no influence in
producing more perfect or healthy germination, whilst the mutilation of
even the most careful act of transplantation, may tend to check the future
developement of the plant.

It may be, however, that circumstances prevent the sowing of the seeds at
once in their ultimate position, and in such cases, they may be sown
singly in pots partly filled with decayed vegetable mould, plunged in a
milk-warm bottom heat. The temperature both of the soil and atmosphere
during this period, should not be high, but such as to permit the plants
to push gradually forth from their dormitory, and assume by a natural
process, the functions of active vitality. In order to maintain them in
vigour of constitution, they should be exposed as much as possible to
light; and that, by being placed near the glass, so as to receive the rays
as little broken and refracted as possible. Water should not be applied at
all, until vegetation has manifested itself, and afterwards, but
sparingly, whilst the plants are young, especially in prolonged periods of
dull sunless weather. Plants which are thus raised, should be planted out
as soon as possible, when their fibres are least numerous, as a means of
avoiding in part, the injuries to which they are exposed in
transplantation.

When the plan of depositing the seeds in the hillock of soil is adopted,
it is necessary to arrange the soil so that any subsequent additions made
to it, may not have the effect of covering too deeply the roots of the
plants, neither of burying the neck of the stem beneath the surface; it
should be arranged so that this latter may remain elevated above the
surrounding soil on the top of a slight mound, after the whole of the soil
is adjusted for the roots. I have already mentioned that the depth of soil
ought not to be at all considerable, but rather shallow than otherwise, so
as to expose the roots as far as possible to the influence of the sun.

It will have been seen that the plan of raising young plants from seeds,
has both its advantages and its disadvantages; and in order to avoid the
latter, and secure some of the former, the seeds should be sown early in
the autumn, whilst there is a sufficiency of heat and light, to mature the
growth they make previous to the dull cheerless days which mark the near
approach, and at length the arrival of