828 



valuable suggestions for further experiments along this line. According to 

 Beissner^ in order to obtain Chamaecyparis squarrosa from cuttings of 

 Biota orientalis only the small branch axes with decussate leaves should be 

 used, which are found close above the cotyledons. The majority of these 

 little branches always give Biota meldensis, but with an evident scale-like 

 position of the leaves, Biota orientalis. Likewise, cuttings of the first shoots 

 of Callitris qiiadrivalvis give a new form. The fixed juvenile stage of 

 Cupressus sempervirens may be seen in C. Bregeoni; the first shoots of 

 C. Lawsoni give a form with squarrous leaves. Retinospora ericoidcs,, 

 Zucc. was obtained from Chamaecyparis sphaeroidea var. Andalyensis. 



The diversity of plants obtained from the ivy according to whether the 

 cutting is taken from blind or blossoming wood is well known. 



Aside from the often simpler leaf form of blossoming wood, which is 

 easily transmitted to plants from cuttings, we often find their habit of 

 growth to be more dwarfy and bushy. The subject of the retention of 

 juvenile forms has recently been treated thoroughly by Diels". 



Propagation by root cuttings is still but little used, although very advan- 

 tageously in many woody plants. Paulownia, Ailanthus, Syringa, Aralia, 

 Mespilus, Rosa, Malus may be propagated by removing larger root branches 

 before the first growth in the spring, or before the second growth in July. 

 These are cut into pieces possibly 5 cm. long and laid flat in rows in the soil. 

 New plants rapidly becoming independent by their own root formation are 

 produced at dififerent places in the piece of root by adventitious bud forma- 

 tion. Among the conifers, Araucaria, Podocarpus and Gingko are said to 

 be advantageously propagated by root cuttings especially if these are set in 

 a warm bed. Large root stocks survive splitting lengthwise; each half then 

 develops adventitious buds. 



Some plants may also be propagated by bud cuttings (Yitis, Paconia 

 arhorea). The buds are cut from the old wood in the spring just as if one 

 were cutting long buds with some wood for grafting and these hud cuttings 

 are laid flat on the surface of the soil in pots. It is advisable, however, to 

 excite rapid growth by warming the soil. 



We can also speak of tuber cuttings, since there exists a method of 

 propagating plants by boring the eyes out of the fleshy tubers with a part 

 of the tuber tissue containing reserve substances (potatoes, caladiums). 

 Usually the part of the tuber, which has been cut out, forms cork on its 

 exposed wound surface at the expense of the starch and retains the remain- 

 ing reserve substances for the first nutrition of the eyes, which become 

 independent quickly by the development of adventitious roots. The cutting 

 of seed potatoes should be discussed in this connection. In practice the 

 precaution is observed, as a rule, of not placing the pieces of tubers in the 

 soil immediately after cutting. This precaution is perfectly justified, since, 



1 Beissner, t)ber Formveranderung- von Koniferensamling-en. Kegel's Garten - 

 flora 1879. p. 172, cit. Bot. Jahresber. 1879, 11, p. 2. 



- Diols, L., Jug-endformcn und Bliitenreife im Pflanzenreich. Berlin 1906, Gebr. 

 Borntragrer. 



