y of material, it is cut not over three feet long; again, when
the supply exceeds the demand, the buyer will often get it six to nine
feet long, and at a lower price than he can buy the short--supply and
demand ruling price, as a rule, between $1 and $3 per dozen.

The plant now under consideration is called, botanically, Myrsiphyllum
asparagoides; by common usage it is called smilax, although not even a
member of the true smilax family, some of which are natives of this
country.

The plant seeds readily, hence every one who grows smilax may, by
leaving two or three strings uncut, grow his own seed; it is then sure
to be fresh--which is sometimes not the case when purchased. The seed is
more likely to germinate if soaked twelve hours in warm water or milk
before sowing.

A bed may be formed any time of the year, but the usual custom is to
prepare it so as to be ready to cut, say, in the fall, for the first
time. Take a pan or shallow box and sow the seed any time during the
winter before March. When well up, so they can be handled, transplant
into small pots, and from these shift into larger, say to three or four
inch pots. Keep the shoots pinched back so as to form a stout, bushy
plant. During winter they will require an artificial temperature of not
less than 50 degrees. When summer comes they may be kept in the house or
stand out of doors until the bed in which they are to grow is ready.
This may be prepared any time most desirable, but if to cut first in the
fall, so manage it that they may have two or three months to perfect
their growth.

The common practice is to give the whole house to the use of the plant,
but this may be varied at pleasure, growing either the center bunch, the
front bunch, or both, as may be desirable.

The best soil is decayed sod from a pasture enriched with cow manure. It
requires no benches to grow this plant; all that is necessary is to
inclose the space designed by putting up boards one foot high to form a
coping to hold the soil. Into this the plants are set evenly over the
entire space, in rows nine inches to one foot apart. At the time of
planting, a stake is driven into and even with the soil at each plant,
being careful to have them in true lines both ways, and driven deep
enough to be quite firm; on the top of this stake is driven a small nail
or hook. Directly over each nail, in the rafter of the house, or a strip
nailed to them for the purpose, is placed another nail, and be