IRISH GARDENING 



16: 



Propagation of Alpines from 

 Cuttings. 



By W. D Besant. 



The cultivation of alpines has of recent years 

 taken such a hold of the community at large that 

 even in the smallest garden one finds a few 

 alpines grown in some shape or form, even if 

 they are only used among stones to form rugged 

 edges to jjaths. &c.. therefore a few notes on their 

 propagation from cuttings inay be helpful, as 

 some at least have a habit of suddenly " going 

 off," as even the common Alyssum saxatile will 

 do at times ; so that if the small grower, or even 

 those who grow alpines extensively, could them- 

 selves keep a reserve of young plants coming 

 along a good deal of disappointment would be 

 averted, and the actual propagating of one's 

 own plants increases the interest in the plants 

 tenfold, at least so it appeals to me, and it is 

 always comforting to either amateur or pro- 

 fessional gardener when a plant dies to be able 

 to say : " Oh ! I have a nice stock of young stuff 

 to take its place."' 



In the majority of cases alpines can be pro- 

 pagated from stem cuttings, or r.t least young 

 growths thrown up from the base taken at the 

 proper season, but in some few cases resort must 

 be made to root cuttings or leaves, of which 

 more anon. The art — if art it be- — of making an 

 ordinary cutting is so well known that to go 

 into any minute details would be waste of time 

 and space, but avoid as far as possible taking 

 lanky, sappy tips for cuttings ; th.e shorter 

 jointed a cutting is, provided it is not hard and 

 woody, the better plant it is likely to produce. 

 Strip the lower leaves from the cutting, leaving 

 three or four pairs of leaves at the tip; cut the 

 stem clean and square through the base of a 

 joint, and the cutting is ready for insertion. 



Where one has a propagating house proper at 

 command the procedure is more or less simple ; 

 but I mean to deal chiefly Avith methods which 

 would be most suitable for the small or suburban 

 grower. If one is interested enough to con- 

 template propagation there is almost certain to 

 l)e somewhere in the garden a cold frame, large 

 or small, which can be used for the purpose. 

 The first thing to do is to find the most suitable 

 place to set the frame, select a nice open position 

 facing either south or west, place the frame, and 

 see that it rests level on the ground ; at the same 

 time make sure that the position for the frame 

 is not low-lying where water will collect in wet 

 weather and render tlie bottom of the frame 

 sour and wet ; if tiiere is any danger of that i)ut 

 some drainage, such as small stones, clinkers, or 

 broken pots in the bottom ; on the other hand, 



lightly forking the ground in the bottom of the 

 frame and clearing out any weeds will be suffi- 

 cient. When this has been done jilace in the 

 frame at least 6 inches of clean sand and tread 

 it firm; make the surface perfectly level, and give 

 the sand a watering with a fine-rosed can ; the 

 frame will then be ready for cuttings. Have 

 lights and mats for shading handy so that they 

 can be placed on the frame when a batch of 

 cuttings have been inserted ; of course mats 

 will only be rec{uired on bright days. If sand 

 is not procurable in sufficient quantity to give 

 the proper depth, a mixture of sand soil and leaf 

 soil may be made, but always have the whole 

 considerably on the sandy side ; place this 

 mixture in the frame as advised for the clean 

 sand, but do not water this after levelling as 

 that would cause the surface to be sticky. I 

 prefer the clean sand as a rooting medium ; I 

 find cuttings of all sorts root more readily in it 

 and do not damp off so readily. There is, of 

 course, one disadvantage, probably more 

 especially to the amateur who has not a super- 

 abundance of time at his disposal ; immediately 

 the cuttings have formed sufficient roots in the 

 sand they must be removed and either planted 

 out in specially prepared beds or potted off into 

 small pots. There is practically no plant nourish- 

 ment in sand, so that if the cuttings are left any 

 length of time after rooting they will gradually 

 decline and will never make such good healthy 

 plants as if treated as advised, whereas if sandy 

 soil has been used in the frame the young plants 

 will continue to grow, and may be left there 

 till required for planting later in their permanent 

 positions. 



When a frame has been filled with cuttings 

 the lights will be put on and the fiamc ke[)t 

 quite close for about a week ; if the cuttings are 

 well watered in they will require no more for 

 some days. The frames must be shaded during 

 sunny weather, as already mentioned. When 

 the cuttings " pick up "" and appear as if they 

 were beginning to grow, admit a little air for an 

 hour or two in the middle of the day, gradually 

 increasing the amount until when the cuttings 

 are well rooted the lights can be ])ulled off 

 altogether : the sturdier and hardier an alpine 

 can be grown the better. 



Some people instead of using a frame for 

 cuttings, place them under bell glasses ; this is 

 probably the quicker means of propagating, but 

 it is not practicable for everyone, as the bell 

 glas.ses are expensive, and after all they produce 

 jio better results than a frame : however, if any 

 one wishes to experiment let them get a few 

 glass jam i)ots antl insert about six cuttings in 

 sand under each pot and try the result, I have 

 seen quantities of alpines pr()i)agated in that way. 



A method which is gaining some favour is 



