ong the front bench run two wooden
gutters 9 inches wide by 3 inches deep, the water in which is heated by
a small conical boiler connected by two pieces of leaden pipe to the
gutters. Three inches above the water in the gutters is placed the slate
or flagging, (resting on cross slats of wood,) on which is two inches of
sand. By regular firing we keep a temperature _in the sand_ from 55 to
75 deg.; and as the pit has no other means of heating, except that given out
by the sand in the bench, the atmosphere of the house at night is only
from 40 deg. to 50 deg., or 25 degrees less than the "bottom heat." In the
daytime, (in order as much as possible to keep up this disparity between
the "top" and "bottom" heat,) a little air is given, and shading the
glass resorted to, to enable us to keep the temperature of the house
down. And here let me remark, that when propagation is attempted in
green-houses used for growing plants, (such houses facing south or
southeast,) the place usually used for the cuttings is the front table;
and it being injurious to the plants to shade the whole house, that part
over the cuttings alone is shaded; the consequence is, that the sun,
acting on the glass, runs the temperature of the house up, perhaps, to
80 deg., or _above_ that of the bottom heat, the cuttings wilt, and the
process of rooting is delayed, if not entirely defeated. All gardeners
know the difficulty of rooting cuttings as warm weather comes on. When
the thermometer marks 80 deg. in the shade fires are laid aside; and if the
rooting of cuttings is attempted, the sand or soil in which they are
planted will be 10 or 15 degrees _lower_ than the atmosphere, or the
opposite of the condition required for success.

The advantage possessed by the gutter or tank, as a means of bottom
heat, over smoke flues or pipes, is in its giving a uniform moisture,
cuttings scarcely ever requiring water after being first put in, and
then only to settle the sand about them. Still, when this convenience
is not to be had, very good success may be attained by closing in the
flue or pipes, regularity in watering, and a rigid adherence to these
degrees of temperature.

The propagating pit above described is used for the propagation of all
kinds of plants grown by florists, such as Camellias, Dahlias, Roses,
Verbenas, Fuchsias, Grape Vines, etc. The time required in rooting
cuttings of soft or young wood is from seven to ten days. Last season,
during the month