

THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



PROPAGATION. Any method by which planta 

 eui bo iuoroavul in quantity, however slow the prooowi 

 htly referred to M being applicable for 

 i ho' i-nrpo.it> of Propagation. Plants are propagated In 

 various ways some which inercaM> at a most rapid rate 

 Stood cannot bo similarly raised by another; 

 occasionally, they oanuot be raised at all. The principal 

 modes are those of teed*, cuttings, l.^er-. .-tr^ts, bulbs, 

 tubers, tuckers, runner*, and division of the plant or 

 rootstook. Budding and grafting afford facilities for the 

 rapid Propagation of such plants as under certain con- 

 ditions may bo successfully dealt with; and MMMf&MI 

 leaves aro in-ortod, with tho result that now plants 

 or bulbs will eventually form on the linn parts of 

 the main midribs whore incisions have been made. I'ndor 

 Budding. Cutting, Grafting. Layering, and Leaf 

 Propagation, oVails may be found of the ways in which 

 theso several systoin^ of Propagation are adopted in 

 practice, whioh it is unnecessary to repeat under this 

 heading. 



Propagation by seeds is tho most natural mode, and is, 

 consequently, the one by whioh the vast majority of 

 plants naturally spread and reproduce thoir species more 

 or less true, according as tho flowers are subjected or 

 disposed to bo. vino influenced by foreign pollen affecting 

 their fertilisation. If all plants wore naturally to repro- 

 duce themselves true from seeds, the endless variety re- 

 presented, for instance, in florists' Mowers, could not 

 possibly hare boon obtained by artificial fertilising and 

 cross-breeding, neither could further improvements be so 

 rapidly made. Where exact counterparts of plants cannot 

 be insured by seed-saving, there is generally some one or 

 more of the other methods of Propagation which can bo 

 successfully applied, as the insertion of cuttings, buds, or 

 grafts, whioh generally retain their distinctive characters, 

 although often as in budding and grafting supported 

 by sap which is not that of a plant or tree of the same 

 species, nor, maybe, even of the same genus. The great 

 number of annuals in cultivation must of necessity be pro- 

 pagated from seeds, as their roots do not live long after 

 the seed comes to maturity. The conditions requisite for 

 successful Propagation by seeds, are the proper ripening 

 beforehand of the latter, their right preservation during 

 the interval between collecting and sowing, so as to in- 

 sure the retention of all geriuinative properties, and their 

 insertion in soil at the proper time, under conditions 

 favourable to rapid or slow development into plants, as 

 individual sorts may be naturally disposed. Some seeds, 

 even when perfectly matured, retain their geriuiuativo 

 properties but a comparatively short time ; while others, 

 kept under favourable conditions, are just as good at 

 the end of four, or frequently more, years, as in the first 

 after being gathered. When old seeds of flower or 

 kitchen garden crops are intended for sowing, a few of 

 each should be tested beforehand, in order to ascertain 

 the proportion of good ones in a given quantity. This 

 may easily be done, by sowing a potful, and placing them 

 in a little heat A seed- room kept at about 45deg., 

 and not much affected by outside fluctuations of tem- 

 perature, is best suited for the general preservation 

 of seeds, from the time of collecting them until tho 

 period for sowing; it should hare a boarded floor, and 

 be kept quite dry. There are, however, many seeds, 

 especially those of trees, whioh lose their vitality if 

 kept dry; theso should be placed in sand, soil, damp 

 moss, or some other substance suitable for preserving 

 them, until the proper time for sowing arrives. This 

 varies considerably with different plants, and as those 

 raised from seed are extremely numerous, it is impos- 

 sible to refer to them in more than limited and very 

 general terms. One of the chief considerations is that of 

 sowing so that the young plants shall appear above 

 ground at a season suitable to their after-development. 

 Tender annuals, that will not withstand oold weather. 



Propagation 



must be sown in spriu; ; hardy ones sometimes succeed 

 and flower all tho bettor if they aro established by that 

 season. Seeds of plants that aro biennial that in, do 

 not flower until the second year require sowing before, 

 or soon after, midsummer, a season favourable to 

 germination, and one which allows tho plant*, when ob- 

 tained, to become established before tho winter. There 

 aro numerous plants grown from seed for indoor decora- 

 tion, the season for sowing which depends very much on 

 the time when the product is required. Gardening sup- 

 plies are in constant demand, and sowing for succession 

 is one of tho gardener's chief consideration*, as it affects 

 so seriously his system adopted for providing what is 

 requisite at tho proper time. There are various methods 

 of seed-sowing, but in tho open ground they may practi- 

 cally bo reduced to two, namely, scattering indiscrimi- 

 nately or broadcast, and sowing in drills. Tho last-named 

 is the one now most generally practised, as it affords 

 more convenient opportunities for cleaning and thinning 

 tho crops or seedlings, as the case may bo, than the 

 broadcast system does. Under glass, shallow pans are 

 perhaps most suitable ; they afford a larger top surface 

 than pots, and this is often desirable for enabling 

 one to sow thinly. Whether pans or pots are used, they 

 should always be thoroughly clean and dry, and bo well 

 drained. Seeds of any description may be said to re- 

 quire a lighter soil wherein to germinate than that in 

 which the plants will prow when established. Even 

 those of forest-trees, whioh fall and root themselves into 

 the earth, are naturally provided with a covering of 

 leaf-soil formed by tho decay of tho loaves whioh the 

 trees themselves shed. Encouragement to free root 

 action is first essential, and this is usually best given 

 by tho use of a light compost, into which the roots can 

 readily enter ; any sp 'cial re luiromonts can be provided 

 when they are stronger, and when nutriment is neces- 

 sary to assist in building up the plant's tissues. A rule 

 which is sometimes adopted, and whioh is not altogether 

 to be considered inapplicable at any time, is that of 

 covering seeds, when sowing, with an amount of soil 

 about equal to their own depth. If the seeds wore very 

 small, and covered deep with soil, in all probability, the 

 plants would perish before reaching the surface ; large 

 seeds, whioh are generally of a much stronger constitu- 

 tion, are more likely to succeed. It is, however, notice- 

 able that some large trees have comparatively minute 

 seeds, whioh require very careful treatment when young 

 specimens are being raised. 



Passing on to refer briefly to the other methods of 

 Propagation enumerated, cuttings are perhaps the most 

 useful. Nearly all soft-wooded plants are readily in- 

 creased by them, and a very large proportion of hard- 

 wooded ones that are not entirely limited to being 

 increased from seeds. Cuttings require to bo of different 

 degrees of firmness. A proper knowledge of various 

 plants must be acquired from experience before success- 

 ful propagating can be practised. Some cuttings emit 

 roots from almost any part of the stem, while others 

 need a joint or heel, and preparation of an exact nature, 

 to insure the emission of roots. Offsets, tubers, bulbs, 

 and conns, are formed, in some oases, on the stems of 

 plants whioh bear them, but more generally about their 

 roots. Where they are produced, an easy mode of Propa- 

 gation is effected by separating or lifting thorn when 

 the old plants ripen and their tops decay. Tubers admit 

 of being out into several pieces, each of whioh will 

 eventually form another plant if it is provided with 

 a perfect eye or bud that can bo preserved from 

 injury after being planted; the Potato is a well-known 

 example of thia. Corms of the Crocus will also be 

 familiar; they aro formed in quantity round the old 

 one, and should be taken up and replanted separately 

 each year. Propagation from suckers is a simple pro- 



