PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS 7 



We consider that the best time for taking cuttings is from the 

 middle of January to the middle of March, though on an emergency 

 there is scarcely a month of the year in which, given proper con- 

 ditions, they will not strike. But for practical purposes and to fall 

 in with the ordinary exigencies of the trade, those months are 

 assuredly the most convenient and the best. A cutting should be 

 about 4 inches in length, and should not be taken from the plant 

 till it has attained that length. Instead of cutting it off, it should 

 be detached from the plant by an upward pull, and this will 

 bring it away intact, that is, with a bulge or small heel as shown in 

 Fig. i a. That bulge is solidly built and is the natural spot for 

 the emission of roots, being better equipped than the ordinary 

 joint for the setting up of a separate existence. 



The trimming of the cutting consists merely of the removal 

 of the lower, undeveloped grass or foliage, and cutting the base 

 quite smoothly with a sharp knife. There is no need for the 

 shortening of the top grass, though this is often practised 

 with the object of reducing the risk of " damping off," but 

 we think that those who do so only substitute one risk for 

 another, as the damaged foliage is naturally more susceptible 

 to rot. The real remedy against " damping off " is not to crowd 

 the cuttings. Having made them, do not expose to sun and air, or 

 allow them to lie about for hours before they are put in, for that 

 wastes vitality, every bit of which is needed and should be con- 

 served. As soon as one variety is finished, every cutting should 

 be immediately put in, and we much prefer to make it a two-man 

 job one making the cuttings, the other inserting them as fast as 

 they are made. Insert at i inch apart in the row, with 3 inches from 

 row to row, using a rather blunt dibble, not making the hole too 

 deep, for the base of the cutting must rest on a firm bottom. The 

 dibble, properly used, will also firm the sand about the cutting, 

 but the operator should satisfy himself that each one is firm before 

 passing on to the next. 



Thoroughly water the cuttings in so that the sand may again settle 

 round them, and it will be found that very little more will be 

 required until rooting has actually commenced. Close down the 

 lights, but give a little air each morning to carry off the conden- 

 sation, and after the first week examine them every day to see if 



