256 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [2 : 7— oct., 1936 



E. How to Start the Cuttings. — Put the heavy wood cuttings 

 directly into the ground. The smaller cuttings should be placed in 

 a box of sand to callous and be left there until the roots are well 

 started. The sand should be as clean and as free from mica as pos- 

 sible. Care should be used in setting the cuttings, as forcing them 

 into the soil bruises the edge of the bark. Have the children make 

 holes, place the cuttings in them then fill them and press the soil in 

 firmly. Emphasize planting the cuttings half their length in the ground, 

 for most children are not inclined to bury them deep enough. Care 

 should be taken that the cuttings are set right end up ; otherwise 

 they will die. Not only children but even helpers in the nursery are 

 likely to set them wrong end up. 



F. Care of Cuttings. — Keep the ground damp but not wet. If 

 the sun is warm, partially protect the cuttings, for the direct suir 

 makes too great a difference between the temperature above the 

 ground and that below, and the energy of the cuttings goes to advance 

 the growth of the buds at the expense of that of the roots. During 

 the first two or three days place newspapers or other good protection 

 over them. 



G. Large and Small Cuttings. — There are advantages and dis- 

 advantages of each. Large cuttings start more slowly than the small 

 ones. Small cuttings start quickly, but are more uncertain unless on 

 bottom heat in greenhouses. Small cuttings are best to show 

 development. 



H. How to Watch Development of Cuttings. — Put a small wood 

 cutting into a flower pot of damp sand. To examine the under- 

 ground developments, tip the pot upside down, emptying the cutting 

 and sand into the hand. If emptied into the hand there is less danger 

 of injuring the cutting than if tipped out elsewhere. In tipping the 

 sand out, there is little friction between the cutting and the sand, 

 hence there is but slight danger of rubbing off the callous and the 

 starting roots. Keep the cutting damp while it is out of the ground for 

 examination. The callous will be formed fairly well for the first 

 examination about six days after the cutting is put into the sand. 



