154 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



(c) Cuttings may be made of the soft wood of the sum- 

 mer as in the grape, currant and gooseberry and, in the case 

 of the strawberry, they may be made from the immature offsets. 

 Soft wood cuttings need a frame or greenhouse for best re- 

 sults and should be treated similarly to geranium and coleus 

 cuttings. 



Size of Cuttings. 



(a) The size of the cuttings used in propagation varies 

 greatly. All that is absolutely necessary is to have one bud 

 to each cutting and this will produce good results, providing 

 it has the proper conditions of heat and moisture surrounding 

 it. One-bud cuttings are sometimes used for the currant and 

 grape with good results, but must have the best of care. 



(b) Cuttings are generally made with more than one bud 

 to encourage strong growth and to increase their chance of 

 living. 



Conditions Necessary for the Successful Growing of Hard- 

 wood Cuttings. 



(a) The wood for ripe wood (hardwood) cuttings must be 

 well matured and firm. Such wood, if well matured, has in it 

 plenty of food to start the cuttings, into growth. 



(b) The wood should preferably be made up into cuttings 

 in autumn or early winter if to go into the open ground. If not 

 planted out at once they should be stored in a cold cellar, cave 

 or pit outdoors. They will often be calloused by spring if thus 

 treated. Cuttings may be of any length, from one bud, up. It 

 is customary to make cuttings of currant and gooseberry about 

 eight inches long. 



Planting Cuttings. 



(a) The soil for cuttings should be rich in plant food, com- 

 pact enough to hold moisture but porous enough at the sur- 

 face to prevent baking. 



(b) Cuttings should generally be calloused before plant- 

 ing for best results, but set out before they show roots. It 

 is generally b-est to get cuttings into the ground as soon as the 

 spring weather permits, but do not plant out grape cuttings 

 until they are calloused. Currant cuttings may be made up 

 in early autumn or even in the last of August and set out at 

 once, as when thus treated they will often be rooted by winter. 



