694 



Gardening for Amateurs 



another fine example of a plant producing 

 offsets. 



Many bulbous plants or those which have 

 pseudo-bulbs or corms will be found to pro- 

 duce small bulbs, bulbils or offsets at the side 

 of the parent ; these should be removed and 

 planted by themselves in a rich, well-manured 

 soil, and they will in a few years attain a large 

 size and produce flowers. 



Suckers. Suckers are generally under- 



An Auricula plant is shown at A, and at B an offset detached 

 ready for insertion and already possessing a few roots. 



produces plants with a predilection towards 

 the production of suckers, and this is not 

 always desirable. Strong sucker shoots on 

 some plants like the Raspberry, Bramble, 

 Loganberry, Black Currant are to be en- 

 couraged, since they can be pruned and made 

 in time to replace old worn-out branches 

 which are no longer satisfactory. In the 

 case of the Chrysanthemum it is on sucker 

 shoots that we rely in order to secure a stock 

 of new plants for 

 next season. 



When suckers 

 have to be re- 

 moved do not cut 

 them off, as this 

 generally accentu- 

 ates the evil and 

 leads to an in- 

 creased number of 

 sucker growths ; 

 remove the soil 

 until the union of 

 the sucker with 

 the root is ex- 

 posed, then tear 

 it away altogether. 

 Suckers are often 

 the result of some 

 wound to the root 

 system, and when 

 the gardener is 

 digging round the 

 plant he should 

 be careful not to 

 do any damage to 

 the root branches. 



Showing how a plant is increased by 

 means of division. 



stood to be shoots springing directly from 

 the underground stems or roots ; they are 

 very common on Currants, some Brier Roses, 

 Raspberries, Chrysanthemums and many 

 other plants, and occasionally they furnish 

 an easy means of propagation. A certain 

 amount of caution requires to be exercised, 

 however ; many choice shrubs like the Rose 

 are not grown on their own roots, hence all 

 shoots that come from below the bud or 

 graft are intruders and must be removed. 

 Again, propagation from suckers occasionally 



Grafting. - 



Grafting is a pro- 

 cess or art whereby 

 a portion of one 

 plant is united to another, both subjects 

 being very closely related botanically. As 

 a general rule grafting is carried out to 

 unite a superior plant or variety to an 

 inferior, the latter forming the root portion 

 and the former being allowed to bear 

 flowers and fruit ; the superior plant is 

 known as the graft or scion, while the in- 

 ferior is called the stock. 



The stock must be well rooted and in 

 good health ; it may be raised from seeds, 

 cuttings or layers, or, indeed, it may be 



