PEOPAQATIOK BY CUTTIlirGS, 145 



a particular plant be placed to 'insnre growth ? Cut- 

 tings of the Willow, Currant, and many other woody 

 plants, grow very freely, even if taken from the parent 

 stock at almost any time of year ; while it would be diffi- 

 cult to make a branch from a Hickory tree produce roots 

 under the most favorable conditions ; yet it may not 

 be among the impossibilities to propagate the Hick- 

 ories from cuttings. The horticulturist, however, does 

 not usually seek the most difficult methods of multiply- 

 ing plants, but the easiest, and there may be many ways 

 of producing the same result. 



As it requires more or less time for a cutting to pro- 

 duce roots, it is better to allow an abundance than too 

 little ; consequently, we usually make the cuttings of the 

 mature and dormant wood in the autumn, because by 

 doing so we secure several months in which to produce 

 the change ; or, in other words, for roots to form. Eoots 

 are produced readily at a lower temperature than leaves — 

 also in the dark — and these conditions are easily secured, 

 even in cold climates ; for if the earth is frozen on the 

 surface, it may stiU be warm enough below to afford suffi- 

 cient warmth to insure the formation of roots on the 

 cuttings of woody plants native of a similar climate. We 

 avail ourselves of the knowledge of this fact and make 

 the cuttings of hardy plants in the fall, and either plant 

 them immediately where they are to grow, giving further 

 protection if necessary, or bury them in a cellar or the 

 open ground ; in fact, almost anywhere that we can secure 

 a temperature but slightly above the freezing point, 

 but not so warm as to force the leaf- buds into growth. 



In such situations the process of forming roots will go 

 on, and some kinds will usually become so well supplied 

 with roots by the time the regular growing season com- 

 mences in the spring, that a vigorous early growth of 

 stem will be produced. These conditions are produced 

 naturally ia the open ground, for the temperature of the 



