SUGGESTED PRACTICUMS 297 



44. Leaf cuttings. Make leaf cuttings of rex begonia by both 

 methods described (191). 



45. Lay bryophyllum leaves flat on sand in propagating bench. 

 Place a little sand on each to hold in place. Note differences between 

 wounded and unhurt leaves. 



46. Bury stems and one-third of gloxinia leaves in propagating 

 sand. Take up and examine various specimens at intervals of a week 

 or two until little bulbs are formed. 



47. Try the same experiment, but with the upper halves of leaves. 



48. Try similar experiments to those of 44 with cabbage and lemon 

 leaves. 



49. Plants produced by leaves. Fasten a mature leaf of bryophyllum 

 on the wall or a post in a humid greenhouse and leave undisturbed a 

 month or six weeks. Make notes of what happens. Try other leaves 

 at the same time in a dry room and make comparative notes. 



POTTING 



50. Try planting in wet pots ; dirty pots ; new, dry pots ; new 

 pots soaked overnight but dried so no water is visible on them. Also 

 with soil so dry it will pour ; soil so wet it will form a clod in the 

 hand, and soil "just right." 



51. B. Lift seedlings with as many roots as possible from pre- 

 viously watered flats and plant in two-inch pots. Place on one-half 

 inch of sand in greenhouse bench, water and shade. 



52. Lift cuttings from propagating bench when they have roots, 

 preferably about one-half inch long, plant as in 51. 



53. Water a lot of plants sadly in need of shifting from two- 

 inch pots to a larger size several hours before, others immediately be- 

 fore, and others not until after shifting to three-inch pots. Note dif- 

 ferences in ease of handling and results in plant growth. After two to 

 four weeks make critical examination of roots and soil in pots treated 

 each way. Describe findings and draw conclusions. 



54. Re-plant some plants purposely allowed to become pot- 

 bound ; 1, by gently or forcibly breaking the soil and re-potting; and 2, 

 by washing out the soil before doing so. Compare the methods. 



GRAFTING 



55. In November or December from correctly named bearing 

 trees select cions six to nine inches long, some among the bearing parts, 

 others from water sprouts (not the suckers). Store until ready for 

 grafting. 



56. Make enough grafting wax to supply needs of class for all 

 kinds of work during college or school year. 



57. In midwinter make some whole-root, some piece-root grafts, 

 using some of each class of cion wood in 55. Store finished grafts till 

 spring. Note differences between the two classes of wood, both in 

 grafting and in later results. 



58. In spring plant root grafts made in 56. 



59. In spring when the buds begin to swell make cleft grafts 

 using some of each class of wood secured in 55. Make examinations of 

 work each week for at least a month. Some of these grafts may be 

 made at the crowns of trees that failed to take buds the previous year, 

 others among the tops of trees in bearing. 



60. Similarly practice bark grafting. 



