PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 143 



outside screen in very hot weather. Damp down the floor several 

 times a day to keep the air moist. In growing plants from root 

 cuttings the roots are to be cut up in lengths of from two to eight 

 inches according to the habit of the plant. They can be tied in 

 bundles, right end up, and laid in damp sphagnum moss until they 

 show signs of growth, or planted in beds, boxes, or pots of sandy 

 soil. They need to be kept moist, but not too wet, until they have 

 started; they do not require shading as soft cuttings, but need the 

 same treatment as growing plants. Such plants as Ailanthus, 

 apples, pears, plums, a few cherries, especially Prunus avium, 

 Crataegus, poplars, Rhus, Comus, Ulmus, Bouvardia, seakale, 

 Asclepias tuberosa, horse radish, can be propagated in this way. 

 Other shrubs, like some of the roses, some Spiraeas, lilacs, Meni- 

 spermums, Xanthorrhiza, Berberis of some sort, Comptonia, some 

 Cornuses, Prunus virginiana, and others, have stolons or under- 

 ground stems ; these can be cut up and treated in the same way as 

 root cuttings. 



Many evergreens can be grown from cuttings, such as Thuya, 

 Retinispora, cedar, junipers, dwarf spruce, Cephalotaxus and 

 yews. It was not thought possible a few years ago to grow Piceas 

 from cuttings, but by selecting the young side growth, Picea Engel- 

 manni and Picea jningens may be grown from cuttings of their own 

 wood. The best cuttings of most conifers are the ripened up 

 growth of the last year's taken off with a heel on it, that is, for the 

 spruces, firs, and yews. For junipers, arbor-vitaes and Retinisporas 

 take the small side branches. The best time to take off cuttings of 

 evergreens is in the fall and early winter, just before the hard frosts 

 begin. \Miile they will root at other times the more difficult ones 

 are best taken in the fall. When first put in they need to be kept 

 quite cool mitil they callous, when more heat can be given them. 

 The time for rooting varies with the species; many of the arbor- 

 vitaes and Retinisporas root in a few weeks and some of the junipers 

 in a year or more. The cuttings should be put in well-drained 

 pots or boxes, or in the case of a large establishment a whole bench 

 may be reserved for them. The cuttings in most cases should be 

 small, not more than a few inches in length. Evergreen cuttings 

 are impatient of too much wet, nothing will rot them quicker. A 

 temperature of forty-five to fifty is high enough until they are well 



