and Kitchen-Garden . 585 



roots combine and form the wood'*', their ascending stems 

 give rise again to new buds. These buds are all exactly like 

 each other : they have the same constitution, the same 

 organic structure, and the individuals they are capable of 

 producing are, consequently, all identically the same ; allow- 

 ance, of course, being made for such accidental injuries or 

 alterations as they may sustain during their subsequent 

 growth. It is upon the existence of such a remarkable 

 physiological peculiarity in plants, that propagation entirely 

 depends ; an evident proof of which may be seen in this cir- 

 cumstance : — Take a cutting of a vine, consisting of the space 

 which lies between two buds, an internodium as botanists 

 would call the piece, and no art will succeed in ever making 

 it become a new plant, however considei'able the size of the 

 internodium may be. But, on the other hand, take the bud 

 of a vine, without any portion of the stem adhering to it, and 

 it will throw out stem and root, and become a new plant im- 

 mediately." The various modes of artificial propagation, as 

 increasing by eyes, striking from cuttings, laying, budding, 

 and grafting, " all consist in the application of these prin- 

 ciples under various forms." Increasing by eyes or buds is 

 illustrated by the above instance of the vine. Striking by 

 cuttings consists in placing a stem bearing more buds than 

 one " in circumstances fitted for the maintenance of life ; " and 

 this method has an advantage over propagation by single 

 buds, as " the stem of the cutting forms an important re- 

 servoir of nutriment" for the buds it bears, until they can 

 emit roots into the soil by which to cater for them- 

 selves. " That bud which is nearest the bottom of the 

 cutting emits its roots" first "into the earth," and "a 

 good operator always takes care that the lower end of his 

 cutting is pared down as close to the base of the bud as may 

 be practicable without actually destroying any part of the 

 bud itself: by this means the first emitted roots, instead of 

 having to find their way downwards between the bark and 

 wood, strike at once into the earth, and become a natural 

 channel by which nutriment is conveyed into the general 

 system of the cutting." 



^^ Laying is nothing but striking from cuttings that are 

 still allowed to maintain their connection with the mother 

 plant, by means of a portion, at least, of their stem." Tongue- 

 ing the layer " has the effect of enabling the roots to 



♦ The ingenious theory that every bud has a root or roots, by which it 

 connects itself with, and supports itself from, the soil, is withstood by some 

 physiologists. 



