CUTTAGE. 5I 



must be taken to plant cuttings in approximately their natural 

 direction if straight and handsome plants are desired. 



The particular method of making the cutting and the treat- 

 ment to which it should be subjected, must be determined for 

 each species of genus. Some plants, as many maples, can be 

 propagated from wood two or three years old, but in most cases 

 the wood of the previous or present season's growth is required. 

 Nearly all soft and loose wooded plants grow readily from hard- 

 wood cuttings, while those with dense wood are often multiplied 

 more easily from soft or growing wood. Some plants, as oaks and 

 hickories, are propagated from cuttings of any description only 

 with great difficulty. It is probable, however, that all plants can 

 be multiplied by cuttings if properly treated. It often happens 

 that one or two species of a closely defined genus will propagate 

 readily from cuttings while the other species will not, so that the 

 propagator comes to learn by experience that different treatment 

 is profitable for very closely related plants. For instance, 

 most of the viburnums are propagated from layers in commer- 

 cial establishments, but V. plicatum is grown extensively from 

 cuttings. 



Particular Methods Kinds of Cuttings. Cuttings are made 

 from all parts of the plant In its lowest terms, cuttage is a 

 division of the plant itself into two or more nearly equal parts, 

 as in the division of crowns of rhubarb, dicentra, and most 

 other plants which tend to form broad masses or stools. This 

 species of cuttage is at times indistinguishable from separation, 

 as in the dividing of lily bulbs (page 25), and at other times it is 

 essentially the same as layerage, as in the dividing of stools 

 which have arisen from suckers or layers. This breaking or 

 cutting up of the plants into two or more large parts which are 

 already rooted is technically known as division. It is only 

 necessary, in dividing plants, to see that one or more buds or 

 shoots remain upon the portions, and these portions are then 

 treated in the same manner as independent mature plants ; or 

 sometimes, when the divisions are small and weak, they may be 

 handled for a time in a frame or forcing-house in the same man- 

 ner as ordinary cuttings. 



