CHAPTER XIX 

 PROPAGATION OF PLANTS 



190. How Plants Propagate. Plants propagate natu- 

 rally by seeds and by the formation of special parts, 

 which become separated and independent of the parent 

 plant, as bulbs in onions, stolons or runners in straw- 

 berries, tubers (thickened stems) in Irish potatoes, and 

 by roots, as in the sweet potatoes, and in many other 

 special ways. These are natural methods of multipli- 

 cation, and take place without man's assistance. Often 

 man provides the conditions which favor multiplication 

 in these ways. We have already mentioned the impor- 

 tant conditions to be controlled in causing the embryo 

 plants of sprouting seeds to grow. The other natural 

 processes of multiplication, i. e., by tubers, bulbs, etc., 

 are matters of e very-day knowledge, and are used for 

 propagating a variety of plants. We speak of the former 

 as propagation by seedage, and the latter as propagation 

 by division. 



191. Seedage. In preparing land for seeds, it is not 

 sufficient that the seed-bed provide simply the conditions 

 favorable for germination, but should be such as is de- 

 manded by the nature and peculiarities of the plant. 

 Thorough and deep pulverization is desirable for all 

 kinds of plants. Make a good seed-bed. It should be 

 done long enough before planting to allow for a thorough 

 settling of the sub-surface soil, for many crops, such as 

 wheat, corn, and other grains, do best on a settled seed- 

 bed. In planting, therefore, it is necessary to know the 



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