PROPAGATION 7I 



Many prefer cuttings from the flowering stem, as these 

 make better plants than cuttings from the tip. The best 

 are taken neither too high nor too low on the flowering 

 stem. A short flowering shoot is ideal. A cutting that is 

 stretched too much, or long and sappy, is poor, also one 

 very low down on the stem, which very frequently is too 

 hardy or woody to root freely or well. Many large growers, 

 however, rely upon cut back plants to yield cuttings, as 

 they cannot get sufficient in any other way. 



Five to ten cuttings may be taken from one plant, 

 but always leave a few growths at the base for the next 

 crop of flowers. All trimming that is to be done should be 

 with a good, sharp knife. When necessary to cut the bot- 

 tom of the cutting, do so just below a joint, and do it 

 clean. Cuttings may be taken any time from December 

 to March, and will root in three to four weeks. Good 

 cuttings should not be more than 3^/2 in. long and 3 in. 

 would even be better. Place them in the sand Yi ii^- to i in. 

 apart in rows, i3^ in. deep and 2 in. between the rows, 

 each variety being labeled to avoid danger of mixing. 



When putting the cuttings in the sand, use a lath as 

 a guide for the rows; lay the lath on the sand, hold in 

 position with the left hand, and with a piece of good hard 

 wood, shaped like a knife, draw a furrow across the bench 

 in which \-ou lay your cutting with the left hand, pressing 

 it firm with the forefinger of the right, and so on until the 

 row is finished. If the sand is pressed firm at the top of 

 the cuttings and not at the bottom, thev will be sure to 

 fail. 



There are a few things to remember in the management 

 of the cutting bench, as the temperature, moisture, shading 

 and airing. The cuttings will root nicely in a house with 

 a temperature of 50 to ^^ deg. Always keep the sand 



