CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - ZetaTalk

220 THE NURSERY-MANUAL(‘ones should be matured full~v ‘r~efore being gathered. If theyhold t,he seeds tightl>-, they should be placed in a dry place, sometimeseven in an oven, until the scales spread. In some species,as the balsam fir, the cones drop and fall to pieces as soon as ripe,and these cones must be gathered just before they begin to fall.The seeds may be separated by rubbing them in the hands, whenthey are thoroughly dry, then winnowing them out through asieve. To obtain stocky plants, the seedlings should be transplantedthe following spring.The named vuricties and the species which do not produce sufficientsethd are winter-worked on seedling stocks which are pottedin the fall. !‘u ttings of growing t,ips set i? sand in a close wellshadedhouse or frame are often successful. Stocks the size of a1t’iLd pencil iiW COlllI~~o:ll~ UWtl. One-year-old seedlings are usuallyprefcrrctl, I )llt in some cases the requisite size is not reachedlmtil t~hc sec’oti(1 or third J-ear. Any of the common operationsof grafting may bc employed, but the veneer-graft is best. Theconifers are not difficult to graft. The European silver fir (A&esI’icrn or pwt~‘wxtcr) or the balsam fir nl;~y be used as a stock, buttlv> common Norway spruce is now the most popular stock forspecies of both :1bies and Picea (see P~icca).Readilypropagate(1 by seeds ; also l)y softwood cuttings.I’ropagatctl by seeds sown in autumn or spring. Sometimessown in pots of sanely soil, and kept in il frame till the followingspring, then placcrl in their flowering cluarters. Also increasedby young cuttings , set in spring, in sandy soil. Spring sowing inthe open is a con~mon method in this country. The outer coveringsof the seed should be removed.Abrus. Impi 1~1 irloscr.Propagated by seeds, more quickly by soaking ; also by cuttingsunder glass in sand.Abutilon (Flowering Maple). Malvacec~).Propa.gatet.1 by seeds and cuttings. Sow seeds in pans, with samesoil and temperature as for cuttings ; if planted in March, bloomingplants should be secured by autumn. Cuttings may be takenfrom young wood, at almost any season ; the best time is spring