172 PRACTICAL PLANT PROPAGATION 



duced by the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction (No. 22,449, United 

 States Department of Agriculture), which is better for this work than 

 the Manetti and others. This plant is a rampant grower. The bud 

 graft takes quickly on the bases of young stock plants, and when the 

 roots are in good growing condition fine unions result. In a few weeks 

 we get growths a foot or more in length. The growing point is then 

 nipped out and the wood firms up quickly, so that bud wood can be 

 secured for further propagation. To depend upon cuttings alone for 

 increasing a new variety is too slow. Bud grafting gives much quicker 

 results. The bud graft* is simply a piece of matured wood with a 

 single bud. Take a bud stick; remove the leaves and the prickles, if 

 present, from about one-half inch from the stem. To remove the bud 

 grafts place the edge of the knife blade about three-sixteenths of an 

 inch below the opposite side of the leaf joint, cut diagonally down and 

 through the stem about three-quarters of an inch, then turn the bud 

 stick and remove a small slice diagonally from the base of the bud graft 

 which, after cutting from the bud stick, is now ready for inserting into 

 the stock. To prepare the incision in the stock for the reception of 

 the bud graft, simply make a diagonal cut long enough to receive the 

 bud graft, placing the long side of the cut surface of the bud graft so 

 that it will unite perfectly with the inner cut surface of the stock. In 

 a warm house the union will be perfect in two or three weeks. The 

 top of the stock can then be removed gradually. As soon as the ripened 

 shoots are ready they, in their turn, are used in propagating." 



VIOLETS 



PROPAGATION 



Cuttings of the Violet taken in February give good, clean stock for 

 the next year. Use short jointed runners, remove most of the leaves and 

 roots. Some take cuttings as late as April but late propagation gives 

 weak plants. They are placed in the sand bench and treated as soft 

 wood cuttings. Give them plenty but not too much water and be 

 sure to keep them cool (45 degrees) at night if possible Violets are, 

 however, most easily propagated by division, but there is more danger 

 of spreading disease. By the latter method the plants are divided 

 about April 1 so that each cutting will have a few roots and a piece of 

 soft stem and a growing shoot. The cuttings are placed in flats filled 

 with soil. They are left for several days in a shady place, usually 

 under a greenhouse bench, after which they are placed in frames until 

 the season warms up, when they are set in the field about 10 inches 

 apart in the row for singles, and 8 inches apart for the doubles. The 

 rows for convenient cultivation should be 15 to 18 inches apart. Con- 

 stant Summer cultivation results in good plants. 



IMPROVING THE VIOLET CROP 



The different varieties of Violets seem adapted to certain localities 

 only, and it is highly advisable for each grower to select the variety, 



* This is a modification of the side graft; it differs in that one bud only is used and the 

 cion is made wedge-shaped by being cut on both sides. (See p. 115 and fig. 58.) 



