CHAPTER VIII. 

 GROWTH OF PLANTS FROM BUDS. 



The multiplication of plants by the use of buds has been outlined in 

 Chapter VI. The methods employed arrange themselves in several groups, 

 which are given distinctive names: 



1. Cuttings : In which one or more buds are treated in a way to 

 induce the growth of roots and the starting of shoots directly from the 

 severed portion of the old plant. 



2. Layers: In which a branch is made to pass through earth, contact 

 with which induces root-formation and shoot-growing, after which the 

 branch is severed from the old plant and cut into as many plants as there 

 are shoots from rooted parts. 



3. Buds : In which a severed bud with a minimum of bark is placed 

 flat upon the inner bark of another plant of a kind demonstrated by experi- 

 ence to be disposed to combine the tissues of the bud with its own and 

 cause it to grow by its sap pressure and sustenance. 



4. Grafts: In which the branch with one or more buds (called a 

 "scion") is cut wedge-shaped and placed in such a way that the inner 

 bark of the scion shall make contact with the inner bark of the plant upon 

 which it is desired to grow, and which is called a "stock." Uusually 

 grafting is done by splitting or cutting into the central wood of the stock, 

 so that the scion stands more or less vertical and makes its contact by the 

 meeting or crossing of the inner barks rather than by being flatly pressed, 

 one upon the other, as is the case in budding. 



ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS FOR GROWTH FROM A BUD. 



In all these operations there are several conditions which must be 

 present, or requirements which must be met. 



There must be a disposition on the part of the particular cutting, or 

 layer, to make roots for itself or on the part of the bud or scion to accept 

 impetus and nourishment from the roots of the foster plant upon which it 

 is properly placed. In the former case the horticulturist says of the plant, 

 "It roots readily," and in the latter case he says, "It has affinity." But 

 this behavior, or the opposite, has been found by experience to be depend- 

 ent upon certain conditions in the soil or in the foster plant which may 

 determine degrees of "rooting readily" and "affinity" or may demonstrate 

 these methods of multiplication to be impracticable. This is a matter 

 which cannot be determined by inference that because one plant acts in a 

 certain way another will also do so ; the fact must be learned by actual 

 test or from the records of the experience of others, and such records of 



