56 PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS. 



may be propagated readily in quantity by taking off herbaceous 

 cuttings in July, or even earlier, and inserting them in cutting- 

 pans in a close frame, taking care to syringe them lightly once 

 or twice every day ; or they may be struck in a heated propa- 

 gating case, and afterwards carefully hardened off. Continental 

 propagators strike nearly all plants, hardy as well as tender, 

 under cloches or bell-glasses, in a close, humid plant -house or 

 propagating pit, and in this way are enabled to turn out an 

 immense stock of fresh little plants in an incredibly short time 

 compared with our system of striking cuttings in autumn under 

 a north wall. Nor is this all : for sometimes it is necessary to 

 grow the plant from which cuttings are to be taken in heat, in 

 order to insure success, taking care to keep the roots nearly 

 dry ; for many trees and shrubs make a watery or succulent 

 growth out of doors, w r hich is not suitable for cuttings, as they 

 damp off instead of rooting, while young growths made in heat 

 may actually be struck in the dampest of all mediums soft water, 

 in bottles suspended near the light, but shaded from bright sun- 

 shine. The propagator who would be successful must never lose 

 sight of the great fact that the actual rooting power or uniting 

 power, in the case of grafting lies in the growing or cellular 

 tissue. Soft-wooded cuttings, such as Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, 

 Lobelias, Begonias, Calceolarias, and other plants of a similar 

 character, are readily struck even by village dames, who merely 

 stick slips or small lateral branches around the sides of the 

 flower-pots in the open window, and rarely without success. 

 It is curious to observe that, while many gardeners strike 

 Ericas, Epacris, and Azaleas readily from cuttings, they rarely if 

 ever think of attempting to propagate new or rare Conifers, or 

 hardy evergreen or deciduous shrubs, in the same way. In- 

 deed, to many amateurs the propagation of Conifers and hardy 

 shrubs is apparently a sealed book. How often do we see, in 

 looking over a great garden, Dracaenas, Ericas, Crotons, Gar- 

 denias, and other exotics, propagated by the hundred ! but 

 how rarely are we shown a batch of young Hollies, Abies, 

 Piceas, or a pan filled with rooted cuttings of some rare and 

 beautiful hardy Conifer or ornamental shrub ! and yet the one 

 is just as easy to propagate from cuttings as the other. 



