By far the greater proportion of plants that are multiplied by cuttings require artificial heat. Nevertheless, cuttings of many tender plants may be struck in the open ground, or in pots and in frames, without heat, and in every case the mode of procedure is nearly the same. The object of this paper is more particularly to put beginners in the way of spring propagation, a branch of horticultural practice which has acquired immense importance since gardening has become contracted to an almost exclusive adoption of the bedding system. Very much of what we have to say will be applicable to summer propagation without artificial heat, though our business is more directly with the propagation of plants at this time of year by means of the heat of a tank or a dung-bed. We suppose the heat to be sufficient and constant. If from fermenting material - there should be a large body of it in a nicely-tempered state - there is nothing so good as a tank, for the operator has thus complete command over his work, and can enjoy the comfort of a warm house while attending to his duties. As a rule, a bottom-heat of 60° to 70° will suffice for all kinds of bedding-plants that are struck from cuttings.

A temperature of 80° to 90° may be used by persons who have had much experience, but 70° should be the maximum for beginners.

Fig. 84.

Fig. 85.

The Art Of Increasing Plants By Cuttings #1

An extremely valuable article; but why did you not adopt the practice of one of your competitors by saying "adapted" from the Floral World, and thus try to make your readers imagine you knew more than the author whose actual words only were used ?