CUTTINGS OF ROOTS. 



6l 



tings possess no buds whatever, the buds developing after 

 the cutting is planted. Roots are cut into pieces from i to 



3 inches long, and 

 are planted hori- 

 zontally in soil or 

 moss. These cut- 

 tings thrive best 

 with bottom heat, 

 but blackberries 

 and some other 

 plants grow fairly 

 well with ordi- 

 nary outdoor 

 treatment. A 

 root cutting of 

 the blackberry is 

 shown in Fig. 62. 

 (See Blackberry, 

 in Chapter VI.) 

 A growing dra- 

 caena root cutting is exhibited in Fig. 63. The cuttings 

 of this plant are handled in a propagating-frame or on a 

 cutting-bench in a warm greenhouse. The bouvardias and 

 many other plants are grown in the same manner. Many 

 of the fruit trees, as peach, cherry, apple and pear, can be 

 grown readily from these short root cuttings in a frame. 

 Among kitchen garden plants, the horse-radish is the 

 most familiar example of propagation by root cuttmgs. 

 The small side roots, a fourth inch or so in diameter, are 

 removed when the horse-radish is dug in fall or spring, 

 and are cut into 4 to 6-inch lengths, as seen in Fig. 64. 

 These cuttings are known as "sets" among gardeners. 

 (See horse-radish. Chapter VI.) When the crowns of 

 horse-radish are cut and used for propagation, the opera- 

 tion falls strictly under division, from the fact that buds or 

 eyes are present ; and the same remark applies to rhubarb. 



63. Root cutting of dracana (xj^). 



