110 GARDENING FOB THE SOUTH. 



all over the surface of the pot, but most do better when 

 inserted near the sides or bottom of the pot, and take root 

 more readily. The soil in all cases about a cutting must 

 be closely pressed against its extremity, or it will never 

 strike root. 



Temperature. Many cuttings that rarely strike root in 

 the open ground do so freely when moist bottom heat is 

 applied. When the soil is but slightly warmer than the 

 air, the roots grow in proportion to the top, but if the 

 soil is constantly warmer, the disposition to produce roots 

 will be greater than to produce tops. In striking cuttings, 

 the object is to produce roots, and then leaves will follow ; 

 hence the temperature of the soil should be somewhat 

 higher than that in which the species naturally commences 

 growth, in order to secure good roots, without which 

 there can be no vigorous leaf-buds. This stimulus should 

 be applied to soft-wooded plants almost immediately ; oth- 

 ers may require some delay until the callus is formed. De- 

 ciduous shrubs in a dormant state should at first be placed 

 in a temperature very little higher than would excite and 

 swell their buds on the parent tree. Increase the bottom 

 heat gradually, keeping the soil warmer than the atmos- 

 phere. From 50 to 60 is about right for the soil at this 

 period, and about 50 for the atmosphere for hardy and 

 green-house plants, increasing the bottom heat to 65 or 

 70 very gradually, when the roots commence growth, and 

 care should be taken to prevent its falling lower until root- 

 ed, when it may gradually be lessened until but little 

 above that of the air of the place in which they are grow- 

 ing. 



Moisture. The cutting, while rooting, must be kept in 

 a suitable state of moisture. In vine cuttings, and oth- 

 ers, nearly covered with soil, all that is required is to keep 

 that in such an equable state of moisture that the cutting 

 can have as much as it can appropriate, and no more. A 



