190 



PRINCIPLES OF PLANT CULTURE 



Fig. 84. — Sucker plant of the 

 red raspberry, Rubus striyosus. 



A, before growth has started ; 



B, after. The two shoots of B 

 starting just above the roots 

 form the new canes. 



The growth of suckers may generally be stimulated in 

 plants that naturally produce them, by cutting off the 



roots or underground stems 

 from which they grow, or by 

 severely pruning the top. 



The propagation of woody 

 plants from suckers is not, as 

 a rule, considered wise, since 

 the roots are usually poorly 

 developed in proportion to 

 the stem, and some plants 

 grown in this manner seem to 

 acquire the tendency to form 

 suckers excessively. In the 

 red raspberry {Rubus strigo- 

 sus, R. Idaeus) and the black- 

 berry {Rubus nigrobacev^) , however, propagation by suck- 

 ers is the most convenient method, and it appears to 

 be followed by no bad re- 

 sults (Fig. 84). 



347. Propagation by sto- 

 lons. — A stolon is a branch 

 that starts above or at the 

 surface of the ground and 

 either grows prostrate or 

 curves downward till it 

 reaches the ground, where 

 it takes root, usually at the 

 nodes (115). The currant, 

 juneberry, cranberry and 

 many herbaceous plants are 

 readily multiplied in this way. Stolons often root with- 

 out assistance, but the rooting is much hastened and en- 



y^'f 



Fig. 85. — Tip plant of black rasp- 

 berry. The bud, whence the 

 young shoot starts, appears at 

 the base of the present cane. 



