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A cold frame need not be elaborate or very big and there are times when an orange box has served the purpose extremely well. To maintain the general appearance of the garden I prefer something neater made in wood, brick. breeze block, or cement. I use a two light frame, too big for cuttings really but it fills in for .seedlings as well.

Ideally they should be 2 to 3 in. long, thin and short jointed. As with all cuttings remove the leaves from that part of the stem which is to go below soil level. These should be cut with a sharp razor blade and not pulled away as this damages the stem too much. It is important not to leave too many leaves on a cutting as these will increase the rate at which water is lost through transpiration which the cutting may be unable to makeup, causing it to wither and die. At the same time the base can be trimmed back to immediately below the leaf joint making a nodal cutting. The Majority of cuttings root most readily from this point, but there are exceptions which should be trimmed between the leaf joints to make internodal cuttings. As would be expected, the time of availability for softwood cuttings is rate spring or early summer, i.e. May and early June.

For those who prefer them, the no-soil composts based on peat are very good value. Once the seedlings are large enough, prick them out into John Innes Potting Compost No. 1 . which is made up of 7 parts sterilised loam, 3 peat, 2 sand, plus 4 lb. of John Innes base fertiliser, and 4 oz. of chalk to each bushel of the mixture. John Innes base fertiliser is made up of 11 oz. of hoof and horn, 11 oz. of superphosphate and 4 oz. of sulphate of potash.

Although this is traditional it is not essential in most cases. An indication of ripeness for rooting is when the lower portion of the stem is to be taken can be bent without breaking. An average length of 4 in. is what I would expect for this type of cutting, but as always there are exceptions, in particular heathers, which vouchsafe a niggardly 12 in.

A hardwood cutting is the best material for a raw beginner to make a first essay into the fascinating realms of plant -propagation. These can be taken at leisure during the autumn and winter, whenever the weather is mild. They can be rooted either direct into the open border where they more or less look after themselves, apart from an occasional check to make sure the frost has not lifted them, or into a frame. Out of doors I have a narrow.border only 21- ft. wide for case of maintenance kwhich has served the purpose of a rooting nursery admirably for many years.

Only practical experience will teach the gardener how to select the best material, but some points are common sense. Cuttings are only taken from those shrubs which are true to variety, vigorous, and free from disease. They should also be taken from vegetative shoots and not those which end in a flower bud. They should be inserted into the rooting medium as soon as possible after being severed from the parent as there is then less risk of drying out. If for any reason this has to be delayed wrap the ends of the cuttings in moist cotton wool or sphagnum moss and put them in a polythene bag. This will keep them fresh for a short time.