21S Principles of Plant Culture. 



380. How to Make Green Cuttings of Herbaceous 

 Plants. In herbaceous plants roots develop most read- 

 ily from the younger and more succulent parts of the 

 stem. Bend the shoot near its terminus in the form 

 of a U, and then press the parts together. If the stem 

 breaks with a snap, it is in the proper condition to root 

 promptly ; if it bends without breaking it has become too 

 hard. Cutting below a node (115) is not essential to the 

 formation of roots in herbaceous plants.* 



While the propagating house or hotbed is necessary 

 to the extensive multiplication of herbaceous plants by 

 green cuttings, the amateur may readily propagate a 

 limited number of plants by the so-called "saucer sys- 

 tem." The cuttings may be placed in glazed saucers 

 containing sand that should be kept saturated with 

 water. The saucers may be set in any warm, well- 

 lighted place, such as the window of a living room. The 

 stems being in this case in contact with the water in 

 the bottom of the saucer, the cuttings require less shad- 

 ing than those in the propagating bed. 



381. How to Make Green Cuttings of Woody Plants. 

 Cuttings of woody plants are preferably made of harder 

 growths than those best suited to herbaceous plants. 

 They should be selected from young shoots of medium 

 size and from half-mature wood, and should generally 

 contain from two to three nodes, though where the ma- 

 terial for cuttings is scarce, single buds may be used 

 in many plants. The base of the cutting is preferably 



* In a few plants, such as the dahlia, the presence of a dormant bud 

 at the crown is essential to the development of the stem the succeedin}; 

 year. Culfings of such plants should therefore be made below a 

 node, If Iho roots are desired for future use. 



