PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 225 



(<?) Place a thermometer in the sand, and record the 

 temperature at various intervals for several days. It 

 will be evident that as the compost becomes heated the 

 temperature will be too high for the cuttings, and they 

 should not be put in until the temperature has fallen to 

 about 80. 



(/) The cuttings should be well firmed in the sand to 

 about one-half of their length, and placed about an inch 

 apart in rows. After the cuttings are placed, brush the 

 hand across their tops, to see if they are sufficiently well 

 firmed. If so, none of them will be displaced. Label 

 each species of cuttings with name and date. 



(g) The sand must be kept uniformly moist, not wet. 

 The cuttings may be carefully lifted out and examined 

 from time to time, to see if any have rooted. The time 

 required for each species to root should be recorded. 



(ti) As soon as the roots are about an inch long, the 

 cuttings should be potted off into thumb-pots filled with 

 soil prepared, as directed for treatment of fine seeds 

 (page 21 2). These little pots should be sunk to one-third 

 of their depth in flats of moist sand. As soon as the 

 plant has grown until the pot is filled with roots, it should 

 be transferred to a size larger pot. 



(/) To ascertain whether the pot is filled with roots 

 invert the pot, resting it upon the palm of the left hand, 

 allowing the plant to pass between the fingers, and 

 steadying the pot by placing the right hand upon the 

 bottom. Now gently tap the edge of the pot against a 

 box or table (Fig. 63) until the ball of soil drops into the 

 hand (Fig. 64). As the plant continues to grow, repot 

 in this manner as often as is necessary. 



2. Hard Wood Cuttings. (i) STEM CUT- 

 TINGS are taken from dormant, mature wood of 

 the last season's growth. These may be secured 

 any time after the leaves have fallen. In local- 



