FOREWORD 
PLANT propagation is of the greatest utility to mankind, 
so much do we rely on the Vegetable Kingdom for our 
sustenance, clothing, furniture—absolute needs, in fact, 
to say nothing of our luxuries. Further, it is of special 
interest to those fond of the healthy pursuit of gardening. 
The many and different methods adopted for the increase 
and continuation of plants of widely different nature, 
both useful and ornamental, necessitates the exercise of 
much care and skill on the part of even the most intelli- 
gent gardener. While it must be admitted that with 
some species and varieties propagation is an easy matter, 
others will develop to such an extent without any human 
assistance that to restrict them within reasonable bounds 
is often the cause of much anxiety and labour. Others, 
again, may be raised in goodly numbers with compara- 
tively little care and attention if the main features for 
their well-being are complied with. There, however, 
remain many which call for considerable practice, 
patience, and skill on the part of the operator. Thus, 
the services of a clever and successful propagator are 
usually esteemed and recognised by his employer, whose 
desire it is to supply the market with young plants that 
may be relied on to thrive and to succeed satisfactorily. 
In all the different branches of gardening there is 
possibly none which excel in interest and fascination 
that of raising plants by the different methods of propa- 
gation in vogue. To be successful it isa great advantage 
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