398 GKEEITHOtJSE MAlfAGEMENT. 



with about one inch of sandy soil. "With bottom heat, 

 they will soon callus and send out roots and one or more 

 stems. The after-treatment is the same as for stem 

 cuttings. 



HARD CTTTTINGS. 



Some plants root readily from the wood of the pre- 

 vious year's growth, even after it has become hard, if 

 made and callused while the stems are dormant, so that 

 they will be ready to send out 

 roots as the leaves appear. What 

 are known as short cuttings need 

 bottom heat to start readily, but 

 with proper attention are excel- 

 lent for the propagation of grapes 

 and other deciduous plants that 

 root readily. They are from two 

 to three inches in length, with a 

 strong bud near the top, and with 

 a strip of bark and a little of the 

 wood removed from one side for 

 „ „„ about an inch from the lower end 



FIG. 99. CUTTING OF AKEOR 



viT^. (Fig. 85). They should be in- 



serted in shallow boxes of sand with about an inch of 

 rich compost in the bottom, so that the buds will be 

 just covered. They need a cool room where they can 

 have a little bottom heat, but the temperature should be 

 low enough to retard the swelling of the buds until after 

 the roots have appeared. While they must not be 

 allowed to become dry, only a little water will be needed 

 until the leaves appear, and an excess must be avoided. 

 A layer of soil at the bottom of the box or propagatiug 

 bed will permit of the cuttings remaining some con- 

 siderable time in the sand, or they can be taken out at 

 once after rooting, and boxed or potted ofE. 



Many of our conifers, such as the improved varieties 

 of arbor vitae (Fig. 99), retinosporas, junipers and 



