112 



THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



The reader must not suppose that all rose cuttings are made 

 after the fashion of Fig. 123, although that is a popular style. 

 Tea roses, and other forced kinds, are largely propagated from 

 softer wood cut to a single eye, with most or all of the leaf left 

 on (Fig. 125). 



These firmwood cuttings, about two inches long, are often 

 made in the winter from forced plants of many kinds. Cut- 

 tings taken in February, in the North, 

 will be ready to transfer to borders 

 or nursery beds when spring opens. 

 Stout well-rooted stock-plants are 

 used from which to obtain the cut- 

 tings, and they are cut back when 

 taken to the house in autumn, in 

 order to induce a good growth. 

 Many hardy shrubs can be easily 

 propagated in this way when the 

 work is difficult or unhandy in the 

 open air: e.g.,Spircea cantonensis and 

 FIG. 126. Firming the earth S. Vanhouttei, the roses and the like. 



about the plant. cu.ii e j.i PJ. 



Stock plants or the sort species, as 

 coleus, lantanas and geraniums, are obtained in like manner. 



In the potting of rooted plants, care is taken to firm the 

 earth ; and good workmanship requires that the plant be cen- 

 tered in the pot. Fig. 126 shows the operation. 



We now propagate only certain plants by means of cuttings, 

 although the number is really large; but we may confidently 

 expect to learn how to multiply all plants by such parts. We 

 need extended new experiments and a study of physiological 

 relations. Such investigations as E. F. Smith's on the growth 

 of tumors (Journ. Agr. Research, Jan. 29, 1917) yield sugges- 

 tions for difficult subjects. 



