Plant Study 



19 



Hardwood stem cuttings are made late in the fall or early 

 in the winter when the wood is dormant. In practice they 

 are tied in bundles of twenty-five to fifty with the butts all one 

 way and usually the bundles are placed butt-end up in a trench 

 in the ground below frost depth and covered with soil. This 

 way of handling keeps the top buds from 

 freezing and places the root ends where they 

 can be warmed by the sun heat in the spring 

 to stimulate root growth. Instead of placing 

 the bundles in the ground, some growers store 

 them through the winter in a cool cellar in 

 sand, sawdust, or moss. Whichever method 

 is followed, in the spring the bundles are 

 taken up, untied, and the cuttings planted 

 about three inches apart in the soil. One 

 or two buds are left above the surface of the 

 ground and the soil is packed firmly about 

 the base of the cutting. If conditions for 

 growth are favorable, the cuttings will start 

 roots and stem during the growing season and 

 will be ready for transplanting in the fall or 

 the following spring. 



Root cuttings. Pieces of roots, usually 

 about the size of a lead-pencil and about 

 three inches in length, are sometimes used 

 for propagating fruit plants. Blackberries 

 and raspberries are often propagated in this F IG . S ._ Mallet cut. 

 way. The cuttings are made in the autumn 

 after the leaves have fallen, and are stored 

 until spring in moss in a cool cellar. When the ground has 

 warmed in the spring, they are planted horizontally about two 

 inches apart and covered with about three inches of soil. 

 By fall or the next spring, they should have developed plants 

 that can be transplanted. 



Layers. A branch or vine that is placed in contact with 



ting and heel cut- 

 ting of the currant. 



