CHAPTER II 

 PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS 



IN our brief reference to the propagation of carnations in Vol. I, 

 we suggested that the growers of a limited number of plants might 

 with advantage strike them singly in small pots, and that we had 

 ourselves tried this method with considerable success. But we 

 have now come to the point where we have to consider the subject 

 on a much larger scale and introduce methods of " mass pro- 

 duction." Compared with a brief ten years ago, we think we should 

 be well within the mark if we expressed the opinion that 1000 

 plants are now wanted for every 100 in 1911, and that the demand 

 is rapidly increasing. Nor do we think that the supply should 

 be left entirely to specialists. There are many nurserymen who, 

 having the facilities and the will to use them, can raise and find an 

 outlet for a few hundreds of plants annually as a part of their regular 

 routine, and the specialists would be the last men in the world to 

 discourage them. It is for such we write. 



In dealing with rose grafting we described the make-up of a 

 propagating bed, such as is in general use, and a somewhat similar 

 structure, with a moderated bottom heat, would do well for car- 

 nations, though instead of making the bed with fibre it should be 

 made with sand 2 to 3 inches deep. When we have had our own 

 propagating pit filled with other things we have improvised on the 

 side benches for carnations, covering the stage with slates, laying 

 the sand on them, and temporarily fixing covering lights. To 

 conserve the bottom heat as well as we could we have nailed stout 

 sacking along the front from the stage to the floor, and this has 

 prevented its too rapid escape ; but though this proved a very useful 

 makeshift we did not take the risk of entrusting our very earliest 

 cuttings to it. We think the end of February is quite early enough 

 in the season to trust to it. Incidentally, we might mention that 

 the side benches come in very conveniently for chrysanthemum 

 cuttings when they are no longer needed for carnations. 



The sand used should be sharp and clean, and when it has been 

 put on the beds it should be given a really good watering, and a whole 



