SO PRACTICAL PLANT PROPAGATION 



Frames. No bottom heat is necessary indoors, but in the frames 

 some will be needed. A foot of fresh horse manure, well trodden, 

 will furnish it. Over the manure spread a 4- to 6-inch layer of sand. 

 Cover the frame with a tight-fitting sash and build a muslin canopy 

 about 3 to 4 feet above it to protect the young stock from the sun. 



Lilac cuttings should be made early in June as the wood ripens 

 earlier than in some other sorts. By this same method may also 

 be propagated such shrubs as Andromeda, Hydrangea paniculata, 

 Tamarix, Syringa, Forsythia, Robinia hifpida, Akebia, Kerria, 

 Symphoricarpos, Cornus, Clematis flammula, Berberis, Calycanthus, 

 Viburum, Exochorda, Weigela, Deutzia, I^onicera, Ligustmm, Althaea, 

 Sambucus and Lycium. 



LARGE STEM CONSERVATORY PLANTS 



Alocasias, Dieffenbachias, Dracaenas, Colocasia odorata, and some 

 other conservatory plants are readily propagated by cutting the old 

 stems into four-inch pieces, which are placed in the propagating 

 bench with bottom heat but not too great moisture. Dust the 

 pieces with powdered charcoal to prevent deacy. The Wardian 

 case is useful for this purpose. 



When rooted the cuttings are potted in sandy loam and peat. 

 The canes will send up shoots from each eye but these shoots in 

 Dracaenas and Cordylines should be removed and placed back in 

 the sand to make good roots. The canes of Dracaenas are hard and 

 will have to be sawed. The pieces may be split through the center ; 

 each section will make a new plant. 



LEAF CUTTINGS 



Plants with fleshy leaves or thick petioles may frequently be 

 propagated by leaf cuttings. The Rex Regonia is the most familiar 

 example illustrating this method. The leaves may be cut into a 

 number of more or less triangular pieces (see fig. 24), each of which 

 has a large piece of one of the main veins of the leaf. When such 

 pieces are inserted half their depth into the sand, the veins will callus 

 and the young plantlet start from this point. (See fig. 25.) 



Another method of making a leaf cutting of the Regonia is to cut 

 through the main veins at various points and pin the entire leaf upon 

 the sand of the propagating bench (see fig. 26), so that the cut ends 

 of veins are in contact with the sand. A confined atmosphere and 

 slight bottom heat are beneficial to rooting. A bell jar, placed over 

 the leaves, will provide proper conditions and prevent the leaf blade 

 from drying out. 



