CUTTINGS 77 



Planting the cuttings. The cuttings are now ready for planting. 

 Some propagators fill the benches with sand for the planting of cut- 

 tings, but I prefer a small flat, 24 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 

 8^2 inches deep, made of light pine boards. Such flats can be re- 

 moved from the house in the Spring when the cuttings are rooted 

 and placed in frames on the ground out of doors where the fresh air 

 and sunlight stimulates a more healthy root action. 



In planting, each cutting is spaced % inch to % mcn apart in 

 the row and space enough left between the rows to permit the air 

 and sunlight to penetrate through the foliage down to the surface 

 of the sand to prevent the growth of fungus. * A liberal supply of 

 water is given the cuttings when planting is completed. This settles 

 the sand firmly around the newly planted cuttings and the flats are 

 then placed on the greenhouse bench. 



Care of the cuttings while rooting. Give the cuttings a gentle bot- 

 tom heat. Loss frequently results from lack of control of the bot- 

 tom heat with newly planted cuttings. Further watering is not 

 required until the sand in the flats shows dryness. Do not open the 

 ventilators in the house until the cuttings are well rooted. Allow 

 the full sunlight to fall upon the cuttings. Shade from the sun will 

 not be needed until the late Spring and early Summer. 



The cuttings of most conifers will develop calluses before the roots 

 appear. Most of the Arbor Vit* and Junipers begin the forma- 

 tion of a callus, soon after planting the callus completely covering 

 the cut surface of the cutting.f Some varieties develop tender 

 young rootlets as soon as the callus has formed. Other varieties 

 wait for months after callusing before the roots appear, while some 

 varieties, such as the Juniperus virginiana forms, which are unusually 

 difficult to propagate from cuttings, remain in a well callused con- 

 dition well into the second year before they form roots. 



* Van Cleef makes a suggestion as to setting the cuttings as follows: "The portion of 

 the cutting which goes into the ground is cleared of all the small branches by simply 

 stripping them off. Then the first finger of the right hand is placed in the center of the 

 cleaned part of the cutting, and pressed into the soil, so that the cleaned part goes into 

 the soil doubled up. Roots form freely on this bent part. Of some varieties of conifers, 

 of which globular shapes also are grown as well as pyramidal forms, the future shape of 

 the plant can be regulated by the way the cutting is made. If a pyramid is wanted, the 

 top of the cutting should not be interfered with, whereas, to obtain a globular shape the 

 top of the cutting is trimmed back severely. It is advisable to keep the cuttings quite 

 dark, as roots form better." 



1 1. Bayley Balfour, in the Journal of Royal Horticultural Society, Vol. XXXVIII, 

 Part III, pages 447-61, writes: "Evergreens often produce calluses very poorly but they 

 all form some. The obstacle to the rooting is the resin which covers the cut surfaces 

 and hardens. If the resin skin is scraped from the cuttings they will often form abundant 

 callus. Should the callus become too large it may be pared down, in which case roots 

 will be encouraged. In Pine the flow of resin is great; it is also thought very difficult 

 to root from cuttings. The ends of the cuttings should be plunged in nearly boiling 

 water; this seals the resin canals and the heat promotes the formation of a callus." 



