100 



THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



FIG. 103. 



Root-cutting of black- 



stocks or underground stems can be made into cuttings, as 

 explained under division, in Chapter III; but true root-cut- 



tings possess no buds whatever, 

 the buds developing after the 

 cutting is planted. 



Roots are usually cut into pieces 

 i to 3 inches long, and are planted 

 horizontally in soil or moss. These 

 cuttings thrive best with bottom heat, but blackberries and 

 some other plants grow fairly well with ordinary outdoor 

 treatment. A root-cutting of the blackberry is shown in 

 Fig. 103. A growing dracena root-cutting is illustrated in 

 Fig. 104. The cuttings of this plant are handled in a propagat- 

 ing-frame or on a cutting-bench in a warm greenhouse. The 

 bouvardias and many other plants are grown similarly from 

 root-cuttings. Many of the fruit-trees, as peach, cherry, 

 apple and pear, can be grown readily from short root-cuttings 

 in a frame. Among 

 kitchen-garden plants, the 

 horse-radish is the most 

 familiar example of prop- 

 agation by root-cuttings. 

 The small side roots, -J 

 inch or so in diameter, 

 are removed when the 

 horse-radish is dug in fall 

 or spring, and are cut into 

 4- to 6-inch length as seen 

 in Fig. 105. These cut- 

 tings are known as " sets" 

 among gardeners. When 

 the crowns of rhubarb 



are cut and used for propagation, the operation falls strictly 

 under division, from the fact that buds or eyes are present; 



