36 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



more readily from "cuttings" proper than the Carnation. 

 To increase by " pipings" is quite simple, and may be accom- 

 plished as follows : Take a young shoot, towards the end of 

 June, and cut it off from the parent just below a joint, i.e. 

 that portion of the stem where a pair of leaves clasps the 

 stem. At this point there is what appears a slight enlarge- 

 ment of the part, 

 and this is known 

 as the "joint" 

 By cutting a shoot 

 four inches long 

 at such a point, 

 and removing the 

 two lower leaves, 

 a " cutting " is at 

 hand ready pre- 

 pared for inser- 

 tion. The true 

 "piping" is only 

 slightly different 

 from this, and to 

 secure it intact 

 take hold of the 

 shoot with the 

 left hand, hold- 

 ing the same with 

 the first finger 



and thumb, and then by a sharp upward pull, snatch the point 

 of the shoot with the necessary base joint attached. In doing 

 this take care not to select soft shoots but they should not 

 be in this condition at the end of June and avoid bruising. 

 The gardener can take these "pipings" very quickly, and as 

 they are ready for insertion without further trouble the opera- 

 tion is very simple. A frame or hand-light is all that is needed 

 to complete the operation. A rather shady place is best, so 

 place the frame there. When one is without even a frame, 

 secure a box a foot deep, make a few holes in the bottom, 

 then place some rough cinders in it to carry away excessive 

 moisture. On the cinders put four inches of sandy soil, 

 making it level and rather firm ; then by covering the box 

 with a sheet of glass a perfect propagating box is obtained 

 that will prove of great service either for seeds or cuttings. 

 All cuttings need shade from hot sun, or indeed any sun 

 heat that will make them droop. 



Multiplying Plants by Root Division. The best time for 

 this operation is when the plants have flowered, or some 



PINK PIPINGS UNDER HAND-LIGHT 



