20 



SCHOOL AND HOME GABDENS 



PROPAGATION OF HOUSE PLANTS 



Cuttings. Stem cuttings of herbaceous wood, such as 

 geranium, coleus, and plants of similar nature, are 

 known as slips. Those from three to four inches in 

 length, taken from the ends of new shoots, are best ; they 

 should have at least two nodes aboveground and one 

 below. The slip should be removed from the plant with 

 an upward-drawing motion of a sharp 

 knife. Take off the slip just below 

 a node and trim back the wood on 

 the stock from which it has been re- 

 moved, to the first node below. That 

 part of the stem above the node, if 

 not removed, is likely to decay and 

 infect other portions. Parts of young 

 stems that are not taken from ends 

 of shoots may be used if the wood 

 is trimmed back to the first bud. 

 Eeduce the foliage one half by cutting off either entire 

 leaves or parts of large leaves. Always remove the leaves 

 with an upward motion of the knife. If the parts are 

 taken off with a clean cut, the wound will heal more 

 easily than when ragged edges are left. 



Materials needed. The materials needed are well- 

 rotted barnyard manure, leaf mold, soil, sand, small 

 stones or broken pieces of flowerpots, six-inch flower- 

 pots that are four or five inches deep, and china or 

 granite-iron plates or indurated-fiber flowerpot saucers 



FIG. 14. A Geranium 

 Slip in Soil 



