124 Propagation of Plants by Cuttings. 



prepare the place for its reception ; and although these mat- 

 ters also require some attention, it appears to me, that they 

 are the least important parts of the process ; and from the 

 want of a proper recognition of the other parts, many of 

 the failures that occur may be attributed. It is, there- 

 fore, my intention, in the present paper, to treat upon some 

 of those points which are necessary to ensure success in this 

 interesting and important branch of horticulture. 



Conflicting opinions have been given upon the influence of 

 leaves, in enabling the cutting to emit roots. Some very 

 successful propagators maintain that the more leaves left up- 

 on a cutting, the more rapidly will roots be emitted ; and 

 in particular cases, this is partly true. It is no less true, 

 however, that cuttings, entirely divesled of leaves, will also 

 produce roots abundantly, and that too, under conditions 

 seemingly less favorable than in the former case. These con- 

 siderations involve a highly important question in vegetable 

 physiology, and one that has not, so far as I am aware, re- 

 ceived that amount of attention which it deserves. 



Something like the following argument, has been adduced 

 by various propagators, in favor of their system of retaining 

 the leaves, even to the base of the cutting, when practicable ; — 

 that there is no suspension of vital energy, as the leaves 

 continue to perform their proper functions, and thus pre- 

 pare, at the very time it is most required, a supply of organiz- 

 able matter, which is immediately expended upon the forma- 

 tion of rootlets ; and that this suspension will be regulated 

 by the number of leaves, and their distance from the base of 

 the cutting ; the assimilated matter for the production of 

 fibres being secreted rapidly or otherwise, according to the 

 quantity and quality of the leaves left. 



From this, we are led to infer, that the matter of which 

 the rootlets are formed, is the result of, and dependent upon, 

 the assimilating power of the leaves. Hence, according to 

 this train of reasoning, we can arrrive at no other conclusions 

 than the following : — The more leaves left upon a cutting, 

 the sooner will it root, and, when leaves and other means of 



