INTRODUCTION. 



The propagation of plants is a most useful and inter- 

 esting art ; and although in most cases it certainly 

 requires care, patience, and perseverance, yet there is 

 a pleasure connected therewith that is quite original in 

 its nature, and those who are masters of the art of 

 propagation are as far in advance of the ordinary course 

 of gardening as an inventor of a piece of machinery 

 is before the man who merely makes the machine 

 according to a given plan. 



The practical theory for the propagation of plants 

 is scattered over the whole of the literature of garden- 

 ing ; so that if you want to find how to multiply a certain 

 plant you may possess, probably you may have to buy 

 or borrow some book, hard to come at, possessing the 

 required information, before you dare venture to cut 

 your plant for propagation, lest you should lose both 

 the cuttings and the original, which is frequently the 

 case. This has at times cost the loss of a man's pro- 

 fessional reputation, and frequently his place too. It 

 is true some books profess to embody the art of pi'opa- 

 gation of most plants, the information in which may 

 be sufficient in detail for the experienced professional, 

 while conveying mere hints not sufficiently definite for 

 the novice. Here, then, I find good ground for the 

 present attempt to produce a book which in itself shall 

 meet the demand without further reference, trouble, or 

 expense. 



I well remember when I first took a lively interest 

 in the art of propagation, as I was determined to 



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