202 



Principles of Plant Culture. 



Cuttings of evergreen plants should not be buried, as 

 this would destroy the leaves, without which they rarely 

 form roots. Cuttings of these plants are usually 

 made in autumn and planted at once in boxes of 

 sand, which are kept for a time in a light, cool 

 place, as a cool greenhouse, until the growing 

 points of the roots have formed, after which 

 they are removed to a warmer location. 



372. Planting Cuttings in Autumn. Stem cut- 

 tings of the currant and other hardy plants, and 

 root cuttings (376) of the blackberry, are 

 sometimes made as soon as the wood is 

 mature in autumn, and planted at once in 

 well-drained loamy or sandy soil in the 

 open ground. Cuttings thus treated often 

 commence to form roots before winter. They 

 should be covered with a little 

 earth and mulched with some 

 coarse litter on the approach 

 of freezing-weather, and should 

 be shaded for a time after the 

 opening of spring (Fig. 64). 

 373. Cuttings from Dormant 

 Stems (stem cuttings) usually 

 form roots more promptly if 

 the proximal end is cut off 

 shortly below a node (116). 

 (See Figs. 97, 98 and 99. ) In 

 certain plants, as many of the 

 FIG. 97. FIG. 98. FIG. 99. conifers, cuttings root more 

 Fig. 97. stem cutting of currant, promptly when cut with a heel, 



Fig. 99. currant cutting rooted, the wood of the previous year 

 at the base. The very short internodes at the junction 



