Propagating and Shipping Young Stock 



several sharp raps along its length with the butt of the knife handle. 

 The knife is then drawn along the edge, cutting a drill in the sand from 

 three-quarters of an inch to an inch in depth, according to the size and 

 length of the heels of the cuttings which are being benched. The cut- 

 tings are then placed in this trench, about a half to three-quarters of an 

 inch apart. By sharply pressing downward on the cutting the base will be 

 fixed in the bottom of the drill so firmly that it holds the cutting perfectly 

 erect. When the row is full the straightedge is again laid alongside of 

 the row of cuttings and given several sharp raps with the butt of the 

 knife handle. This compacts firmly the sand around the base of the cut- 

 ting. The straightedge still lying in position, the knife is again drawn 

 along its edge, cutting the drill as before about an inch and a half distant 

 from the row of cuttings already set in. 



This operation is repeated until the stock is in the bench. As soon as 

 the operator finishes his batch of cuttings he takes a Boston hose nozzle 

 and wets down the bench with sufficient thoroughness to compact the sand 

 round the base of the cuttings and fill up all the interstices which may 

 have been left. The cuttings are now ready for the operation of callousing 

 and rooting, and if they have been properly selected and placed in the sand, 

 and if they receive the correct treatment thereafter, from 95 to 98 per cent, 

 of cuttings taken from most varieties of carnations will produce strong, well- 

 rooted plants. 



The temperature of the propagating house should be maintained at cer- 

 tainly not higher than 50 to 55 degrees overhead ; if possible to keep it as 

 low as that. It is probably better for the health of the cuttings if the over- 

 head temperature runs from 45 to 50 degrees, and it can be maintained as 

 low as 40 degrees provided the bottom or sand temperature is carried from 

 10 to 15 degrees higher. But where the temperature is carried as low 

 as 40 degrees the rooting process of most varieties of carnations will take 

 an additional week. 



The sand temperature should run from about 56 to 60 degrees, cer- 

 tainly not higher than 65 degrees, the lower temperature being much pre- 

 ferred. 



After having been sprayed sufficiently to firm down any loose sand 

 around the base of the cuttings, only sufficient spraying or watering should 

 be given daily to keep the cuttings from flagging or wilting. It is de- 

 cidedly deleterious to spray too much or to keep the sand surcharged with 

 water, as such condition produces a soft growth and thereby promotes dis- 

 eases, such as the cutting bench fungus and stem rot. For the same rea- 



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