332 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Fig. 2369. 

 mosssd ficus cutting. 



of the shoot or branch. After the removal 

 of the leaves as before mentioned, an in- 

 cision should be made on the underneath 

 side with a sharp knife, as shown in the 

 accompanying cut. The incision should be 

 made in a slanting- direction, running from 

 the base of the cutting toward the tip, and 

 from a half to three quarters of an inch in 

 length, and should extend about two-thirds 

 through the branch, leaving the remaining 

 one-third of the branch uncut. The incision 

 should terminate close under a leaf joint if 

 possible. After the incision has been made 

 a small thin piece of chip about one-sixteenth 

 of an inch thick should be inserted at the ter- 

 mination of the cut. This is done to keep the 

 incision open, so as to allow the thick sap to 

 flow clear away from the incision, as other- 

 wise it would congeal and prevent the cutting 

 from callusing and rooting. The chip should 

 be long enough to extend just through the 

 cutting. 



A small stick, or piece of wire should be 

 tied along side of the cutting for a few 



inches above and below the incision, to keep 

 the cutting in its proper position. Suffici- 

 ent wet moss should then be wrapped 

 around the cutting so as to cover the in- 

 cision fully an inch thick after it has been 

 bound tightly around. The wrapping of 

 moss should extend about three inches 

 above and below the incision, tapering 

 gradually to each end, as shown in Fig. 

 2369. The moss should be bound tightly 

 around the cutting with raffia or fine twine. 

 Sphagnum moss is the best if it can be ob- 

 tained, if not, ordinary green moss can be 

 used. The bandage of moss should never 

 be allowed to become dry, but should be 

 kept quite moist by syringing or sprinkling 

 with water once or twice every day. In 

 about five or six weeks after the mossing 

 process the cutting should be examined, 

 when, if rooted, it can be severed entirely 

 from the plant, as shown in Fig. 2370 and 

 potted If not rooted the moss should be 



Fig. 2370. 

 rooted ficus cutting. 



