PROPAGATION. 



our subject into sections, each one of which will be 

 devoted to certain plants requiring a particular kind 

 of treatment for their propagation; and although 

 the Umits of our space will not admit of the enume- 

 ration of aU those plants to which such treatment 

 is adapted, aU those that will serve to illustrate our 

 observations, as well as those of special interest and 

 importance, wiU be mentioned under the respective 

 methods that are considered best for their propaga- 

 tion. 



Before dealing with these, however, it will be well 

 to lay down a few general rules which apply more or 

 less to the treatment of all cuttings. The portion of 

 a plant most suitable to be selected as a cutting 

 depends upon the condition of the plant as regarcU 

 growth and health ; npon its nature— whether hard- 

 wooded, soft-wooded, herbaceous, or succulent ; and 

 upon the time of year when the cuttings are to be 

 put in. "With regard to the first, it is important 

 that the plants intended to be propagated should be 

 in perfect health, for although sickly cuttings may 

 be induced to strike root, they frequently remain 

 long in a weak and very precarious condition, and 

 nearly always fail to grow into healthy, vigorous 

 plants. The condition of growth varies according 

 to the nature of the plant, but in the case of the 

 majority of plants, in which the period of growth is 

 succeeded by one of rest, the most favourable time 

 for their propagation is directly after the growth is 

 ripened, and before the fall of the leaves, if de- 

 ciduous. Hard-wooded plants should always be 

 dealt with on the completion of their growth, which 

 is generally in the autumn, though there are many 

 Australian plants which require treatment some- 

 what different from this, to which, however, we will 

 refer under the heading Hard-wooded Plants. 



Soft-wooded plants, such as Fuchsias, Pelargo- 

 niums, Bouvardias, &c., may be struck at almost 

 any time, though the autumn is the most favourable 

 season for many of them. The same may be said to 

 apply to herbaceous and succulent plants. In the 

 sprir^, when vegetable life is awaking from its 

 winter's sleep, and bursting forth into vigorous new 

 growth, the propagation of many plants may be suc- 

 cessfully performed. The condition of the wood, 

 together vrith the strong activity of the sap in the 

 vernal season, is especially favourable for the pro- 

 pagation of quick-growing plants, and as all danger 

 from the , effects of winter is avoided by deferring 

 this work until spring, it wiU be found a good plan 

 to leave the whole of those plants that strike root 

 readily and grow freely, to be dealt with after the 

 winter is about over. 



Hard-wooded Plants. — All those plants the 

 young growth of which ripens quickly into hard wiry 

 72 



wood are understood by this term. The Heaths,, 

 Epaorises, Azaleas, Camellias, Coniferse, and many 

 Australian plants are examples of plants of this 

 nature. The propagation by means of cuttings of 

 the whole of these requires great skill and attention, 

 owing to the necessity of selecting as cuttings only 

 those portions of the plants which possess the power 

 of striking root, and the length of time it takes for 

 them to callus and produce roots. 



Heaths. — ^The propagation of these popular 

 plants, and especially of those kinds that require 

 green-house treatment, is an art in itself. In large 

 estabKshments, where Heaths are propagated by the 

 thousand yearly, the success of the expert propa- 

 gator is almost marvellous, when we consider how 

 extremely difficult it is to increase many of the 

 kinds. 



The season most favourable for putting in the 

 cuttings of these plants commences in August and 

 , continues until the February following. Autumn, 

 however, is the most preferable time ; cuttings put 

 in then having sufficient time to root and become 

 strong before damp and dark weathe;; sets in. The 

 portions of the plant to be selected as cuttings are 

 the wiry little pieces about one and a halt inches 

 long, which are formed about the base of the plants 

 and clothing the lower portions of the principal 

 shoots. In gathering these, the operator must be 

 careful not to pinch the tips, or the cuttings will 

 surely perish when subjected to the close damp at- 

 mosphere beneath the bell-glass. If possible, these 

 shootlets should be , gently pulled rather than cut 

 from the plant, as by pulling, a portion of the old 

 wood remains attached to the base of the cutting, 

 which is of great assistance to it in caUusing and 

 forming roots. When gathered, the lower half of 

 each cutting should be stripped of its foliage by 

 pulling away with the finger and thumb one or 

 two leaves at a time. If done carefully, there is no 

 danger of the bark coming away with the leaves. 

 Scissors were once used for this purpose, but the 

 operator will succeed better without them, and 

 avoid all risk of injuring the cuttings by the awk- 

 ward use of such tools. With a little practice, the 

 stripping may be performed very successfully, and 

 much more rapidly than is possible when scissors 

 are used. A sharp knife should be used to make a 

 clean cut at the base of the cuttings. It is a bad 

 practice to put the cuttings of Heaths, and indeed 

 of any plants, into water and leave them for any 

 length of time, with a view to the prevention of 

 flagging. A damp cloth is the most useful article ia 

 which to envelop cuttings thfii cannot be put into 

 the pots at once. The size of the pots to be used for 

 the reception of the cuttings may vary according to 



