94 PLANT PROPAGATION 
division in October or March. Box edgings are made 
by taking up old plants, dividing the growths with roots 
attached to each piece, and planting the latter in a 
shallow trench, making the soil firm about the roots. 
The best month for the operation is March. 
CaBpBaAGE.—This useful vegetable for spring use should 
be sown out of doors in. August; for summer and 
autumn crops from March till May; Red Cabbage for 
pickling, in August. 
Cacti.—Species and varieties of the different genera 
of this family are propagated by seed, cuttings, division, 
offsets, and grafting. Cuttings are very easy to root if 
the cut portion is exposed to the atmosphere for a day 
or two to dry before planting. Even large plants, when 
they become too tall, may have a few feet cut off the 
tops. After the cut surface has dried, if planted they soon 
emit roots and grow if the soil is only kept just moist. 
Grafting.—As the delicate-growing kinds are apt to 
decay at the base in our sunless winter season, and 
thrive better if grafted on stems of more robust-growing 
species, some are occasionally grafted to add to their 
already grotesque and quaint appearance. Standard 
Epiphyllums are obtained by grafting. The stocks are 
provided by cuttings of Pereskia aculeata, which root 
and grow readily. In September they are headed down 
to the desired height and scions of Epiphyllum about 
6 inches long are taken, a thin slice being cut off both 
of the flat sides to form a wedge. The stem of the stock 
is then split with a sharp knife, the wedge-shaped scion 
inserted and secured by thrusting a pin through. The 
grafted plants are then placed in a close, warm propa- 
gating-case, kept moist and shaded in a temperature of 
about 75 degrees until a union is effected. Downward 
