68 PROPAGATION BY DIVISION. [CHAP. IV. 



cuttings made in the ordinary way are found 

 very hard to strike, and, even when most suc- 

 cessful, seldom have roots in less than two or 

 three months. 



A new mode of striking cuttings has been 

 invented by Professor Delacroix of Besanc^on. 

 This gentleman, some years ago, conceived the 

 idea of insuring the success of cuttings by 

 putting the lower end in water and the middle 

 in earth, a circular incision being made between 

 the earth and the water. This plan, however, 

 was not found to succeed ; but it led him to 

 another, which he designates as simple, econo- 

 mical, and certain. According to this plan, the 

 cutting is placed entirely under ground, so as 

 to form a curve, with a bud in its highest 

 part, the bud being on a level with the surface 

 of the soil. In this way the whole length of 

 the cutting is protected by the earth, and the 

 bud is the only part exposed to the air. This 

 mode of making cuttings is said to answer 

 admirably with apples, pears, plums, apricots, 

 and tulip trees, all of which are difficult to 

 strike from cuttings ; and it is also found to 

 succeed admirably with rose trees and other 

 plants which though not difficult to strike 

 generally, are so occasionally. 



Cuttings may be struck in the open ground, 

 and in common soil, without any covering : but 

 cuttings thus treated must be those of plants 

 which strike readily. When struck in pots, it 

 is customary to fill the pots half or entirely 

 full of silver sand, to prevent the stalk of the 

 cutting from having too much moisture round 

 it. Those cuttings which are most liable to be 



