The Myrtle. Eleven species, and many varieties. Greenhouse or stove evergreen shrubs. Half-ripened cuttings. Sandy loam and peat. Water freely whilst they are growing in spring and summer. The common myrtle is M. communis, of which there are several varieties, chiefly characterized by the breadth and size of the leaves or doubleness of the flowers.

Propagation. By Slips And Cuttings

The young shoots, either of the same or former year's growth, of from about two or three to five or six inches long, either slipped or cut off, are the proper parts for planting, and may be struck either with or without artificial heat. By either method June or July is the best season, especially when intended to use the shoots of the year. The previous year's shoots will also strike tolerably, especially if planted in spring, or, by aid of hot-beds, may be made to strike root readily at any time in the spring or summer. By aid of a hot-bed both one and two year shoots may be greatly facilitated in rooting. A dung hot-bed, under common frames and lights, will do, though a bark hot-bed of a stove, etc, is the most eligible and effectual. Plants thus struck in spring, or early in summer, from plants of the same year, will be fit to pot off separately early in autumn. Choose straight clean shoots, and as robust as possible, which divest of the lower leaves two-thirds of their length; they are then ready for planting. Fill the pots or pans with light rich mould, in which plant the slips or cuttings - many in each pot or pan if required, putting them in within an inch of their tops, and about an inch or two asunder.

Give directly some water, to settle the earth closely about each plant; then, either plunge the pots, etc, in a shallow garden-frame, and put on the glasses, or cover each pot or pan close with a low hand-glass, which is the most eligible for facilitating their rooting. In either method, however, observe to plunge the pots in the earth or hot-bed.

Afford them occasional shade from the mid-day sun, and give plenty of water three or four times a week at least, or oftener in very hot weather; thus they will be rooted in a month or six weeks. Let them remain in the open air until October, then remove them into the green-house for the winter; and in spring the forwardest in growth may be potted off separately in small pots; but if rather small and weak, or but indifferently rooted, let them have another summer's growth, and pot them out separately in September or spring following, managing them as other green-house shrubs of similar temperature, and shifting them into larger pots annually, or according as they shall require.

By Layers

Such plants as are furnished with young bottom branches or shoots, situated low enough for laying, may be layered in spring in the usual way; every shoot will readily emit roots, and be fit to transplant into separate pots in autumn.

By Seed

These may be sowed in spring, in pots of light mould, and plunged in a moderate hot-bed. The plants will soon come up, which, when two or three inches high, pot off separately in small pots: manage them as the others. - Abercrombie.

With respect to the general culture, see Green-house Plants.