144 PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 



heat answers the same purpose for opening the pores and 

 admitting moisture to the seed proper ; and while jn cold 

 climates, nuts and other hard shelled seeds are placed 

 wjiere they will freeze in winter, the same kinds sprout 

 just as freely in hot climates, provided they are ]sept 

 moist and warm during the same season. 



CHAPTER XI. 



PROPAGATION BY ^CUTTINGS. 



_GrRjOWTH. There are many kinds of trees, 

 and shrubs that are readily propagated by cuttings of the 

 jnajhije or ripened wood. Sometimes Avood two or more 

 years old is used for this purpose,. but with most kinds 

 that of on%season's growth produces roots ni ore. .readily. 

 The cuttings are usually taken from the parent stoqk in 

 the^fall of the year, as soon as the leaves of deciduous 

 plants'will part from the stem without injury to the buds 

 adjacent. 



Autumn is also a proper time to make cuttings of many 

 kinds of evergreen plants, particularly those of hardy 

 trees and shrubs indigenous to temperate climates. A 

 branch, when it ceases to grow in summer or .autumn, 

 contains a la?ge amount of matter which has njot assumed 

 any special form or structure, and it is therefore in a 

 proper condition either to produce roots or branches. 

 With some kinds of plants it can be made to produce the 

 former verjTreadily ; with others it is quite jljj^ cult, 

 simply because we have not discovered the proper condi- 

 tion necessary for their development ; and it is just here 

 that we come upon the great secret in the propagation of 

 plants i. e. } under what conditions should cuttings of 



