120 PRACTICAL 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

 PROPAGATION OF PLANTS BY CUTTINGS. 



Of all the operations of the florist, the one above all 

 others in importance is the propagation of plants by cut- 

 tings. It is the fount from which the supply must come, 

 and becomes inexhaustible in the hands of a careful 

 operator. I say a careful operator, rather than a skilful 

 one, for, in my estimation, a great amount of knowledge 

 is not so necessary to success, as that a never- flagging, 

 careful application of that knowledge should be made. 

 A careful man, who has had the run of a propagating 

 establishment for one year, and who has kept his eyes 

 and ears open, will have acquired a theoretical and prac- 

 tical knowledge of the business, sufficient to enable him 

 to operate with success, provided he is of fair intelligence 

 and studious habits. On the other hand, we find hun- 

 dreds, who have spent the best part of their lives in the 

 trade, whose careless character renders useless the knowl- 

 edge possessed, when this branch of horticulture is placed 

 in their charge, 



I have long held the opinion that the necessary knowl- 

 edge to successfully propagate plants by cuttings is very 

 simple, and may be easily imparted by writing, even to 

 one having no acquaintance whatever with the operation. 



Propagating by cuttings is the way in which the larg- 

 est number of plants are multiplied. As now under- 

 stood, this is a simple matter. Formerly no operation in 

 horticulture was more befogged by ignorant pretenders, 

 who, in writing on, or speaking of the subject, so warped 

 the operation with troublesome conditions as to discour- 

 age, not only amateurs in horticulture, but inexperienced 

 professional gardeners as well. 



One of the first conditions necessary in the propaga- 



