PROPAGATION OF PLANTS 153 



place where they will not freeze during the winter. A common 

 cave or cellar may be utilized for this purpose. 



In the spring or when the weather is favorable plant the cuttings 

 in an oblique position and cover them with soil up to the top bud. 

 They should be cultivated frequently and kept free from weeds. 



Root Cuttings. Many plants may be propagated by root cut- 

 tings. In the horseradish and rhubarb plants these cuttings are 

 really parts of underground stems bearing buds, while in the black- 

 berry and quince they are cuttings from real roots which bear no 

 buds or leaves. The ability of some plants, like mint, couch grass, 

 etc., to spread so rapidly is due to the facility with which their 

 underground stems take root and grow. Chopping or cutting up 

 such roots only accelerates their propagation instead of checking it. 

 In propagating blackberry plants it is best to make the cuttings 2 

 or 3 inches long. 



Propagating Plants by Budding. Budding consists in transfer- 

 ring a bud from one plant and inserting it in the bark of some allied 

 or closely related plant in which it will become attached and 

 develop. Many plants do not produce offspring like the parent 

 stock when grown from seed, but buds always produce fruit like 

 that borne by the tree or plant from which they were taken. Two 

 methods of budding are in general use: (1) the pocket or T-cleft 

 method, (2) the ring method. 



The T-Cleft Method. In this method a horizontal incision is 

 made in the stock to be budded, and just below the center of this 

 cut another incision is made in the bark at right angles to it so as 

 to form a T-shaped cleft. These incisions should be made close 

 to the ground and on the north side of the stock, which should be 

 a hardy one-year-old seedling. Next secure the bud that is to be 

 transferred, taking care not to injure the vascular bundles on its 

 under surface, and insert it in the incision in the stock previously 

 prepared, and adjust it so that the cambium layer of the bud will 

 come in contact with the cambium layer of the stock. Then press 

 the bark down close and wrap the wound carefully with moist 

 soft twine, cotton yarn, raffia, or other suitable material. In 

 about ten days the bud will unite with the stock if it takes, and the 

 wrapping material should be cut away. At the same time the seed- 

 ling stock should be cut off at the top to within an inch or two of 



