CLASSES OF CUTTINGS 115 



are preferred, though with short-jointed plants 

 such as Delaware grape, currant and plum, 

 several nodes may be used, in which case all but 

 the top bud or buds those above or at the surface of the 

 soil are cut or rubbed off to prevent the formation of 

 shoots from below ground. Satisfactory growth of cut- 

 tings does not depend on number of buds ; single buds 

 in many species give as good results as when several are 

 used. In the cutting bed all long mature wood cuttings 

 are set vertically with a bud or two above the surface. 

 168. Single eye mature wood cuttings are often made 



FIG. 102 ODD WAYS OF STARTING PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS 



1. Sectional leaf cuttir 

 3. Cactus cutting fastened 



of begonia. 2. "Whole leaf" cutting of begonis 

 toothpick to be kept steady in cutting bench. 



when stock is scarce or costly in two popular ways. In 

 the first case the wood is cut half way between 

 nodes, the cuttings laid flat with eyes upward in the cut- 

 ting bed and covered with an inch or so of soil. In the 

 other style cuts are made, one a little above the bud and 

 the other a couple of inches below. These cuttings are 

 thrust vertically in the bed as far down as the buds. In 

 each case the cuttings are generally started with bottom 

 heat under glass about three months before work could be 

 done out of doors. From the start the sand must be kept 

 moist. Shading is often necessary. When the leaves ex- 



