422 



CUTTAGE 



CUTTAGE 



Although it is tender plants, in the main, which are 

 propagated by cuttings of growing wood, the above 

 methods can be practiced advantageously with some 

 hardy plants. The wood, 

 which is invariably 

 more successful if hard- 

 ened, is obtained either 

 from plants forced for 

 this purpose, e. g. , spi- 

 rea, Deutzia gracilis, 

 etc., or it is gathered in 

 June and July out of 

 doons, e. g., lilac, hy- 

 drangea, etc. Cuttings of 

 growing wood should be 

 potted in 2- or 3-inch 

 pots, in a rather sandy 

 soil, when the roots are from H-14 inches long. It is 

 sometimes good economy to box them, i. e., plant them 

 a few inches apart in tiats, when not immediately re- 

 quired. 



(2) Long Cuttings of Hipened Wood in Open Air.— 

 This method is used to propagate many hardy trees and 

 shrubs, e. g, , willows, currants, grapes, forsythia, etc. 

 Wood of the current year's growth is gathered in au- 

 tumn or early winter, before severe frost, and either 

 stored in a cool cellar, covering with moss or fresh earth 

 to prevent drying, or immediately made into cuttmgs 

 These (see Fig. 620) should be made 6 inches or more 

 long and should contain at least 2 buds. It is not neces 



622. Propaeating-box, 



The excrescences, knots or knaurs, which are found on 

 the trunks and the main limbs of olive trees, are some- 

 times used as futtiii!,'s for lu'opaL'ation. 



(3) Sh„,i.-i,lli,i,i...i ,,i.,,i.,l ,r....<l [Vig. 



027) are u>r.l un.lir ^hi^s with tvinlcr or 



half-hardy siH-riis. ^vitll ii.-w iiitn)duc- 



tions, in cases where the grower is short 



of stock, and when the plant is delicate 



and small. The wood should be gathered 



before severe frost and the cuttings 



made and planted directly in October 



and Ni-)vember. Make them from 2— t 



inches li>ng (sometimes a single eye only 



is used), and plant with a dibble, in . 



pure sand in pots, pans or flats (boxes C^T^ 



about 16 inches square and 3 iiiche«^xv^-^V'-.*«>->'-vc 



diM|.|. It a liiy.-r of potting soil is placed '-^■'<>'^^\ \^ 



uni!< !■ tlif ^.ni'l. tin- young plants have 625. Hardened- 



s tliini.' ti> frill ujion and do not need wood cutting 



t... !"■ [...tted so s.ion after rooting; if of dahlia. 

 this is done, drainage should be given. 

 It is important to keep them cool until a callus is formed 

 or roots produced. If the buds start into grovrth before 

 this, the cuttings become exhausted and are likely to 

 die. After rooting, — the time required varies from 

 one to six months— they can either be potted or the 



sary to cut to a bud at the base, but the upper cut 

 should be just above one. They should be tied in 

 bundles with tarred rope, taking care to have them lie 

 "heads and tails" to facilitate planting, and with the 

 butts on the same level, to promote callusing. They 

 should then be buried in sandy soil, with the butts 

 down and protected against frost. In early spring 

 they should be firmly planted in V-shaped trenches 

 in well prepare*! soil : set an inch or so apart, with 

 the rows 1 or I's feet apart. The upper bud should 

 be ,iust at the surface ; to prevent suckers the lower 

 bu<is njay be removed. In autumn they should be dug, 

 graded and heeled-in for winter. Some varieties will 



624. Propagating-box or hood. 



require a second or third year's growth in the nursery; 

 others are ready for permanent planting, as willows 

 and poplars, which often grow 6 feet the first year. 

 This is one of the very cheapest ways of propagating, 

 and will pay where only 25 per cent root. This method 

 is generally u.sed with deciduous-leaved plants, but 

 some conifers, e. g., Siberian arborvitse, will strike. 

 Remove enough twigs to get a clean stem for plant- 

 ing, and allow 2 or 3 inches of top above ground. 



626. Long cuttings of ripened wood. 



strong-growing sorts be planted out in well pre- 

 pared beds in May or June, where they are likely to 

 make a satisfactory growth. The weaker kinds can re- 

 main a year in pots or flats, be wintered in a pit, and 

 planted out the next spring. Some greenhouse plants, 

 e. g., Camellia Lavrest-inns, tender grapes, etc., are 

 propagated in this way with cuttings of fully ripened 

 wood, and others, as cactus, draciena, etc., with wood 

 which is much older. They .should be given the care 

 described under the head of ( 1 ) Cuttings of Growing 

 Wood, but they must not be forced too hard at first. 

 The temperature should be regiilated by the nature of 

 the plant. The safest rule to follow is to give a few de- 

 grees more heat fur propagating than the plant received 

 when tile c\ittinf,' was nuioved. 



(4) Hfiot-niltiinis (Fig. (J28) are made of either root 

 or rootstiick ami are useful in propa- 

 gating some plants, either in the 

 greenhouse or in the open air. Ten- 

 der plants, like bouvardia, and those 

 which are hardy Imt of delicate 

 growth, e. g., .1 utiumtc ./n ponjfn ,iirii 

 handled under i;iass ; l.larklMTnes, 

 horseradish, etc.. nut of do,.r,s. The 

 cuttings are luade in autumn or win- 

 ter, the roots of hardy plants being 

 gathered before severe frost and 

 either planted directly or kept in 

 muss until sjiring. This process of 

 storing develops a I'tillus and has a 

 tendency to pruiluia- buds. For green- 627. Short cuttings 

 house work, the cuttings are made of ripened wood. 



