HOW PLANTS ARE INCREASED 



that is to say, the stock or parent plants are deprived 

 of young shoots (to be formed into cuttings) at such 

 short intervals that a progeny of weakened constitution 

 is the result. Many beautiful garden varieties of flowers 

 do not come true from seed ; the only way to perpetuate 

 their distinguishing characteristics is by cuttings or perhaps 

 division of the roots. But the amateur will be well 

 advised to raise plants from seed whenever this is found 

 to be possible ; he will then ensure vigorous plants that 

 are less likely to suffer from common diseases that chiefly 

 attack weakly plants. 



Many I might even say most plants may be 

 increased by cuttings ; when the alternative of raising 

 them from seed meets the wishes of the gardener equally 

 well, it should be chosen. " Cuttings " are chiefly valu- 

 able when one wishes to raise a large number of plants 

 exactly alike, since this plan ensures uniformity, at any 

 rate, in the colour of the flowers, and under similar cultural 

 conditions in other characteristics also. If, for instance, we 

 wish to raise a number of plants of a certain Geranium 

 for providing a mass of colour in the flower garden, we 

 take cuttings. If seeds were sown from, say, a fine 

 crimson-coloured sort, the chances are that the seedlings 

 would give variously coloured flowers, some like the 

 parents, others quite different ; by taking cuttings we 

 know that all the young plants will be similar to the 

 parents. 



It is probably pretty well known that two kinds of 



