PROPAGATION BY MEANS OF CUTTINGS 



103 



FIG. 109. Begonia plant 

 starting from a triangular leaf- 

 cutting. 



these pieces, inserted and treated 



like coleus cuttings, will root and 



make good plants within a reason- 

 able time, say four to six months. 



This form of cutting should be 2 to 



3 inches long by 1 inch or li inches 



wide. Ordinarily, in this style 



of leaf-cutting, the petiole or stalk 



is cut off close to the leaf and 



the lower third or fourth of the 



leaf is then severed by a nearly 



straight cut across the leaf. The 



somewhat triangular remainder is 



then cut into as many wedge-shaped 



pieces as there are ribs in the leaf, 



each rib forming the center of 

 a cutting. The 



point of each cutting should contain a por- 

 tion of the petiole. The points of these 

 triangular parts are inserted in the soil a 

 half inch or so, the cutting standing erect or 

 nearly so. Roots form at the base or point, 

 and a young plant springs from the same 

 point (Fig. 109). 



The gloxinia and others of its kin propa- 

 gate by leaves, but instead of a young 

 plant arising directly from the cutting, a 

 little tuber forms on the free end of the 

 petiole (Fig. 110), and this tuber is dried off 

 and planted the same as a mature tuber. 



FIG. no. Leaf-cut- Most gardeners prefer to cut the leaf-stalk 

 ting of gloxinia. shorter than shown in the cut. 

 Leaf-cuttings are handled in the same way as soft stem- 

 cuttings, so far as temperature and moisture are concerned. 



