CUTTINGS. 27 



to supply it with food until it has formed roots to draAv nourish 

 ment from the soil. 



All fruit trees may be propagated by cuttings with proper care 

 and attention, but only a few grow with sufficient facility 

 in this way to render their propagation by cuttings a common 

 mode. These are the Gooseberry, the Currant, the Vine, the 

 Quince, the Fig, and the Mulberry. 



Cuttings of the Currant, Gooseberry, and the hardy sorts of 

 Vine, will root readily, in a soil not too dry, in the open garden. 

 Currants and Gooseberries are generally taken off in the fall or 

 winter, prepared for planting, and two-thirds of their lower ends 

 buried in the ground till the commencement of spring, when 

 they are planted out, either where they are to remain, or in nur- 

 sery rows. If planted in autumn, they are liable to 

 be thrown out by winter frosts. They will succeed 

 nearly as well if taken off in the spring, but, owing to 

 the period at which they commence growing, this 

 must be attended to very early ^ if deferred till that 

 season. 



In order to raise plants of the Gooseberry and 

 Currant, with straight clean stems, Avhich shall not 

 throw up suckers, it is only necessary, before plant- 

 — tfji ^"S ^^ cutting, to cut out every eye or bud to be 

 placed below the surface of the ground. Fig. 14. 

 The cutting should be about a foot long, eight inches 

 of which may be inserted in the ground. To insure 

 greater success in raising the finer sorts of goose- 

 berry, or other shrubs, it is customary to plant the 

 cuttings on the shaded side of a wall or fence, in 

 deep rich loam, rather damp than dry. Cuttings of 

 the vine are generally prepared when trimming the 

 Fie. 14. A *^^^ plants in autumn, or winter ; they may then be 

 gooseberry cut-\)WY\Q^ with their lowcr ends in the ground, or kept 

 *andpiant7d^ in earth in the cellar till spring. 



Scarce sorts of foreign grapes, which it is desirable to multiply 

 extensively, are frequently propagated by joints ; that is, by 

 buds having about two inches of wood attached to each — every 

 bud in this way forming a plant. When this mode is adopted, 

 it is usual to plant the joints about half an inch deep, in light 

 soil, in a common hot bed prepared for the purpose, or each joint 

 is planted in a pot by itself. In the first way a great number of 



plants may be grown in a small 

 space. Success is more certain 

 in propagating the vine by joints, 

 where the joint is halved before 

 Yw 15 planting, Fig. 15. 



.joint, prepared and planted. The large English black mul- 

 berry is propagated by cuttings' 



