V PROPAGATION OF PLANTS 45 



cannot be expected to grow from cuttings of inferior 

 plants. In the temperate and cold regions of Europe and 

 America, where tropical plants can be kept alive only in 

 hot-houses, their propagation is carried on chiefly by cuttings, 

 and the gardeners have become very skilful in raising 

 plants in this way. In fact many plants can now be raised Plants raised 

 from simple buds, or even from leaves or portions of leaves, and leaves, 

 but these processes do not much concern the tropical planter. 

 It may, however, be pointed out that the principle of the 

 process may easily be made out in the case of the common 

 begonia, a leaf of which placed or pinned down on damp earth 

 will eventually produce several perfect plants. 



