114 PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS 



the bark, while most of the leaves and the body tissue 

 of the lower forms have it distributed through the entire 

 plant in more or less definitely organized bundles. Most 

 of the softwood cuttings belong to this class, which makes 

 it necessary to give them a different treatment. 



Cuttings made from dormant wood have the cambium 

 layer inactive, and the cells contain abundance of stored 

 food, which under normal conditions would carry the life 

 processes forward, until such time as leaf growth would 

 enable the plant to manufacture more. Under such con- 

 ditions growth starts slowly. Ample time should be given 

 dormant cuttings that the cambium may throw out a cal- 

 lus to cover over the wound. The temperature should 

 be raised gradually so that the stored food may be able to 

 take on its natural functions without too much haste. 

 In the case of cuttings taken from active growing trees, 

 the cambium is active, little reserve plant food is avail- 

 able, hence a long quiescent period is apt to result in decay. 

 The growing tissue must be provided with food and mois- 

 ture, and conditions made favorable for a continuation of 

 growth. This is done by leaving on a portion of the leaves 

 to manufacture food, removing only what is necessary to 

 prevent undue evaporation of moisture, by making the 

 lower cut close to a node or bud where the cambium tissue 

 is more abundant and by keeping the atmosphere and soil 

 conditions surrounding the cuttings more humid or moist. 

 These conditions are most favorable to growth for the soft- 

 wood and the semidormant cuttings, and the details of the 

 work consist in the applying of these principles in the 

 most practical way. 



