122 THE PRINCIPLES OF FLORICULTURE 



may be in flower at a given date, as for instance, great 

 festival holidays, like Christmas and Easter. Many of 

 the best growers have definite dates for making cuttings 

 or sowing seeds of various species, and are extremely par- 

 ticular that nothing prevents the work from being done. 

 When carnation, chrysanthemum, rose or violet cuttings 

 are to be taken, time must be allowed for the growth of 

 healthy, vigorous plants before any flowers are produced. 

 A good propagator will know just what wood to select for 

 his cutting, and will have learned from experience just 

 how long to make the cutting, and the time it should be 

 left in the propagating bench. A plant propagator should 

 work rapidly, for, as in all branches of greenhouse work, 

 time is valuable. The margin of profit between the cost 

 of growing a plant and its sale price is comparatively 

 small, hence many cuttings should be made in a day. 

 This cannot be done with dull or carelessly prepared tools. 

 Everything should be in readiness before the work is begun, 

 or the results are unsatisfactory. To have sharp knives 

 is very important. Many plant propagators fail in seed 

 germination. This may be due to carelessness in sowing, 

 or in watering. Small seeds frequently fail in germina- 

 tion because of lack of care. Special cases should be 

 provided for very small seeds difficult to germinate, and 

 the propagator should give them his most careful atten- 

 tion. Many plant propagators are considered lucky in 

 their success in germination, when it is very probable that 

 their success is due to the painstaking care they give their 

 seeds and seedlings. The propagating houses, particularly, 

 should receive careful attention. Cleanliness is especially 

 essential in the sand of the cutting bench. Any decaying 

 vegetable matter, such as leaves and sections of stems or 

 flowers, will have a tendency to cause the " damping-off " 



