CUTTINGS 



225 



Fig. 205. — An example of a wound 

 so made that a callus is closing over it. 

 After Bailey. 



pruning, in which case there is a stump which wiU not heal and its 

 decay may result in the destruction of the tree. In Figure 205 

 is shown a cut made in the 

 proper way. In this case a 

 callus is forming and enclos- 

 ing the wound. i^ y^*! ' 



Pl 



The Propagation ^ of Plants 

 by Means of Stems 



Some plants, of which the 

 Irish Potato is a familiar ex- 

 ample, are propagated ahnost 

 entirely by planting portions 

 of their stems, which are ca- 

 pable of developing roots and 

 shoots from their nodes. 

 {Fig. 206.) A notable exam- 

 ple in Southern countries is 

 the Sugar Cane, which is propagated by planting sections of 

 stalks from which new plants develop. In the propagation of 

 fruit trees, Grapes, Cranberries, Roses, Geraniums, Carnations, 

 and many other plants, stems are used, although not always in 

 the same way. 



Propagation by stems is often preferable to propagation by 

 seeds, because by the former method the new plants are more 

 likely to be of the parent type. This fact is demonstrated in 

 propagating Apple trees, which seldom come true from seeds, but 

 do when propagated by grafting. Another advantage of propa- 

 gation by stems is that new plants can be obtained in less time 

 than by seeds. By means of cuttings new Geraniums or Carna- 

 tions of considerable size are obtained in a few weeks. Propa- 

 gation by stems may be by cuttings, layering, grafting, or hudding. 



Cuttings. — ■ In the study of prostrate and underground stems, 

 it was noted that nodes of stems can develop roots as well as 

 shoots. This makes it possible for a portion of a stem to become 

 an independent plant under proper conditions. Consequently, 

 many plants are reproduced by setting detached portions of their 



1 The propagation of plants. Farmers' Bulletin 157, U. S. Dept. of Agri- 

 culture. 



