40 PLANT PROPAGATION 
If such means are not available the foliage should be 
reduced, or the life of the cuttings will be dried out by 
transpiration through the leaves before roots are formed 
to supply the deficiency. 
Hotbeds, made with fermenting materials, such as 
stable litter, dead leaves, and tan, with a glazed frame 
on top, prove very suitable for striking and raising 
many kinds of cuttings and seeds. 
A good knife with a:‘keen edge should always be used 
in preparing the cuttings, so that a:very smooth surface 
results. For cutting large and sometimes hardened 
Two-LIGHT FRAME. 
stems of such plants as Draceenas a good pruning-knife, 
well sharpened, is useful, but for small cuttings a propa- 
gating-knife is much more suitable ; while for removing 
the lower leaves of ‘small-leaved cuttings a pair of propa- 
gating scissors may be employed with advantage, as the 
work can be executed much more expeditiously. Wooden 
or metal pegs should also be ready at hand to secure in 
position such cuttings as need this assistance, and small 
stakes provided to support leaves or tops that require 
them. 
Succulent plants, such as the extensively grown 
Kalosanthes coccinea, contain so much moisture that 
they succeed better if laid on a shelf to dry before inser- 
tion. They do not need to be covered with a bell-glass, 
