PBOPAGATION BY CUTTINGS. 293 



and excess of nitrogenous food, is used. The use of 

 cuttings from plants enfeebled by disease will be even 

 more disastrous, as the plants produced will not only be 

 susceptible to the attack of the same and other diseases, 

 but they may even have the germs of the disease within 

 them when severed from the parent plant. 



On the other hand, it is always best to propagate 

 from individual plants that, in their vigor, freedom from 

 disease, prolificacy, or in the size, shape or color of their 



na. 96. rMPKOPEB aitd propek condition of stem fob cuttingb. 



flowers or fruits, show unusual merit. If such plants 

 are marked in some way (Fig. 95), cuttings can be made 

 from them at the proper time and thus a strain of pedi- 

 gree plants can be established. 



Greenhouse plants are generally multiplied by what 

 is known as soft cuttings of the stems. They are usually 

 made from terminal shoots, although if cuttings lower 

 down the stem can be obtained in the proper condition, 

 they will readily root and make good plants. 



