208 PBINCIPLES OF PLANT CULTURE 



buds should be rubbed off before planting, leaving but 

 one or two buds at the distal end (Fig. 100). 



376. Propagation from cuttings of the root. — Plants 

 that naturally sucker from the root (347) and some others 

 may be propagated from short pieces of the root (root 

 cuttings). For this purpose roots of about the thickness 

 of a lead-pencil are commonly cut into pieces one to 

 three inches long (Fig. 103), as soon as growth ceases in 

 autumn, and packed in boxes with alternate layers of 

 moist sand or moss. The boxes are preferably stored 

 in a cool cellar where the\' may be examined from time to 

 time during winter ; the sand or moss should be moistened 



when it appears dry. Root- 

 cuttings of different varieties 

 of the same plant often re- 

 quire different degrees of tem- 



FiG. 103. — Root-cutting of black- , j. • j j.'u i ^^ 



(jgj, perature to induce the torma- 



tion of callus and buds, hence 

 the boxes should be frequently examined, particularly 

 toward spring, in order that those in which the cuttings 

 are backward in starting may be placed in a higher 

 temperature. Thus treated, root-cuttings of many hardy 

 plants, such as the plum, raspberry, blackberry, june- 

 berry and the like, often form both buds and rootlets by 

 spring, so that they may be planted directly in the open 

 ground. Those of more tender species, such as the 

 bouvardia, geranium and the like, will not start to the 

 same degree, unless placed in the propagating bed toward 

 spring and given bottom heat. 



Root cuttings should be planted shallow, usually not 

 more than one-half to three-fourths of an inch deep, in 

 order that the developing bud may soon reach the light; 

 otherwise, as in too-deeply planted seeds, the reserve 



