ON THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS BY CUTTINGS. 37 



ARTICLE VII. 



REMARKS ON THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS BY CUTTINGS. 



BY A GERMAN AMATEUR GARDENER. 



As an amateur gardener, having a hothouse, greenhouse, and con- 

 servatory, well stocked -with the best kinds of plants to which each 

 erection is adapted, I have had considerable practice in propagating 

 by cuttings the sundry plants I possess, as also in cuttings obtained 

 elsewhere ; and from the success I have realized I am induced to for- 

 ward the following remarks on the process, hoping they may be ser- 

 viceable to other persons, who, like myself, derive pleasure in so 

 interesting a pursuit. 



When I obtain cuttings at a distance, I find it in most cases essential 

 to success to have the ends which have been cut dipped in puddle, or 

 stuck into a portion of clay, for the crude sap in the cutting is not raised 

 by endosmose but by the process of evaporation; care must be there- 

 fore taken that the surface of the cut does not become dry before 

 being put in the earth, and air get into the lower end of the vessels, 

 for as soon as this takes place only very strong shoots are capable of 

 drawing up moisture, as has been proved by the experiments of 

 various philosophers. The cuttings should therefore be stuck in wet 

 sand, clay, &c. if they cannot immediately be put where they are in- 

 tended to remain, although it were better to avoid this. If, however, 

 they are such as ought to lie a day or two, in order to insure success, 

 as some acacias, &c, it ought to be in a damp place ; and the precau- 

 tion must be taken, if possible, to cut them again before planting. 

 If the long-leaved kinds be stuck in the earth immediately after being 

 taken from the parent plant, the inner bark will become black in 

 from fourteen days to four Aveeks, and the cutting will perish. 



This phenomenon appears to be in close connexion with the form 

 of the leaves of these plants, as those of the acacias have very small 

 stomata. In their stead, on the under side of the leaves of the latter 

 plants, are small dimples, lined with short hairs, which the diosmas 

 already mentioned also possess. Now, as the crude nourishing mat- 

 ter is drawn up through the open wood in its existing state, and re- 

 ceived by the cutting, while the spongioles of the roots only 

 imbibe it in a very thin solution, it appears that the above-named 

 plants, on account of the peculiar formation of their leaves, cannot 



