CHAPTER XII 



VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION. 



In the life of any organism there are two chief phases, wliicli arc not 



always distinct from one another, and may overlap. The one secures 



the maintenance of the individual, the 



other increases the number of indivi- 

 duals. Thus far the former only has 



been followed. It has been seen how 



the Plant is established on germination, 



and developed as an organism which 



can maintain itself. It is able, more- 

 over, to acquire material in excess of 



its immediate needs. This is in itself 



a necessary condition of increase in 



number, for there must be at least a 



sufficiency of material for forming the 



new germ or germs. But it is not 



possible to put any measure on the 



imount of material required to be at 



land before increase takes place. An 



musually early propagation in a Seed- 

 ^lant is seen in the Potato, where 

 he seedling may form a tuber from 

 he axillary bud of each cotyledon 

 Fig. 159). 



There are two methods of increase. 

 )ne is by Vegetative Propagation, which consists simply in separation 

 f a part of the plant-body as a being physiologically independent of 

 he parent. During its early development that part is nourislied by 

 he parent. The sejiaration may fmally be completed bv the death 



21 1 



Fig. 159. 

 Seedling of the Pot.ito, shnwiiiK how 

 the buds {ax) in .ixils ol tnc colv 

 ledons (c) develop as tiilM-rs. (A tier 

 Percival.) 



