142 SCIENCE OF HOME AND COMMUNITY 



The boys can make the window boxes, or flowerpots may be 

 used. Doubtless plants will be donated by various members 

 of the class ; or if not, the class may plan some method for 

 securing the needed plants. Some bulbs should be started as 

 explained in the latter part of the chapter. The class may be 

 divided into committees, each to look after the plants for a 

 certain period. 



Propagation of house plants. A number of house plants 

 may be raised by means of soft-wood cuttings, which are 

 made from the growing parts of the stem. If only a few 



cuttings are to be raised, an ordi- 

 nary flowerpot may be used. If 

 a larger number is desired, one 

 will need a box six or seven inches 

 in depth and as long as desired. 

 These receptacles should be half 

 filled with clean, moist sand, well 

 pressed down. To make the cut- 

 ting, a growing tip two to four 

 inches long is cut just below a 

 joint. The lower leaves are re- 



FIG. 46. Geranium cutting. j , , 



moved so as to leave at least an 



inch of free stem ; and to reduce still more the leaf surface, 

 it is well to cut off about half of each of the remaining 

 leaves. An incision is made in the sand by means of a knife, 

 and into this the cutting is inserted for about an inch and 

 the sand is pressed firmly about it. 



To prevent too great evaporation, a tumbler or pane of 

 glass is used as a cover, leaving a little crack for the entrance 

 of air. The sand should be kept moist but not saturated. 

 The cutting should be left until new leaves begin to form, 

 which with a hardy plant like a geranium, will take about 

 three weeks. This is evidence that new roots have formed, 

 and now the plant may be transplanted. Geraniums and 

 wandering Jew may be easily raised in this way and also 



