PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS, ETC. 67 



it because of some sentiment attached to it. 

 Two things may be done to make a shapely 

 plant. The quickest way to reduce the 

 plant is to cut it down to within a foot or 

 fifteen inches of the ground. New shoots 

 will appear in a short time that will trans- 

 form the stub into a shapely, round-headed 

 tree. 



The other thing to do is to make a slant- 

 ing cut in the stem far enough from the top 

 so that when cut off it will make a shapely 

 plant. Put a small piece of wood or char- 

 coal in the cut to keep it open. Over the 

 cut lay some damp sphagnum moss, and be 

 sure that it always is damp, but do not let it 

 become too damp or it may get sour. In 

 a few weeks new roots will be seen pro- 

 truding through the moss. When a mass 

 of roots has been produced cut the stem ofF 

 below the moss and pot the plant, moss and 

 all, in a good potting soil. Put it in a 

 shaded place for a few days until the roots 

 have taken hold of the soil. 



This method is often varied by carefully 

 splitting a pot in halves, putting them about 

 the stem of the plant, and then filling the 

 pot with a mixture of soil and sphagnum 



