64 PROPAGATION BY DIVISION. [CHAP. IT. 



cloth, which he carried with him on purpose, s> 

 as to exclude the air, and consequently keep the 

 earth moist. After an absence of two or three 

 months, he returned to the tree, and cut off the 

 branch below the bandage, when he generally 

 found that it had struck root into the moist 

 earth. In this way he obtained nearly all the 

 rare and curious trees that he brought to 

 Europe. 



Cuttings differ from layers in being en- 

 tirely separated from the parent plant before 

 they are put into the ground ; but in both 

 cases the principle is the same, namely, that 

 each bud is essentially a plant, and possesses 

 the power of developing roots, as well as a 

 stem and leaves, if placed in favourable cir- 

 cumstances. In some cases a single bud or 

 eye may be struck ; but as when this is tried 

 there is a difficulty in keeping the vital 

 power of the bud in activity till there are 

 organised roots to supply it with food, it is 

 generally safer to try to strike a cutting having 

 two or more buds ; as the pith contained in the 

 space between the buds is soluble, and is the 

 nutriment prepared by nature for the support 

 of the incipient stem and leaves. 



When the branch is left on the parent tree, 

 only the ascending shoot of each bud is de- 

 veloped, and, under favourable circumstances, 

 this ascending shoot becomes a new branch : 

 but when the branch is made a cutting, the 

 lowest bud must become granulated to force it 

 to develope roots. When a cutting is cut 

 through, not at a bud or joint, it is necessary 

 that the joint should be buried to insure the 



