CHAPTER III 

 THE GROWTH OF PLANTS INDEPENDENTLY OF SEEDS 



MANY plants propagate themselves independently of seeds. This 

 is especially the case in cultivated plants, like the Sugar-cane, 

 the Potato, the Begonia, and the Geranium. Plants which are 

 not indigenous to a country often take a long time to mature 

 and do not make seed freely ; it is an advantage to such plants 

 to be able to multiply independently of seed production. At 

 the same time it must be remembered that a plant propagating 

 itself independently in this way may in time become worn out . The 

 most striking instance of this is the sugar-cane, which has been 

 grown for some two thousand years by- " suckers " springing from 

 the original stem. In Barbados, where the Bourbon cane was the 

 species chiefly cultivated, attempts are being made to grow other 

 species. In this country, the potato is said to be less strong than 

 it used to be, and new varieties are being introduced, or seedlings 

 are grown in order to get a stronger plant than is the case where 

 tubers alone are cultivated. Seeds, too, are used when new varieties 

 are being sought. Many wild plants are also propagated without 

 forming seed, as it is an advantage to a plant to have two means 

 of multiplying itself, for there is great loss of life where seeds are 

 concerned. They may be eaten, they may fall on hard ground, 

 they may die through exposure to cold, they may rot from damp. 

 Even where seedlings are produced, a large number must perish ; 

 they may choke each other, they are eagerly devoured by grazing 

 animals, and young seedlings are peculiarly susceptible to changes 

 in weather and particularly to extremes of heat and cold. 



METHODS OF SELF-PROPAGATION. (i.) By creeping stems. One 

 of the most common of our buttercups (Ranunculus repens) 



multiplies in this way. The stem creeps along, rooting at the 



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