PEOPAGATION. 57 



even in tissues or parts of a plant where we do not usually 

 find buds — ^hence we have a mode of propagation of many 

 woody plants, by root cuttings, and by leaves, and even 

 parts of leaves. 



Peopagatioit by CuTnNGS. — Many fruits are multi- 

 plied by this means. Healthy shoots of the previous 

 year's growth are usually selected and taken when the 

 parent is in a dormant state, or still better, when it is ap- 

 proaching this condition. Sometimes a small portion of 

 the previous year's growth is left with the cutting, making 

 a sort of heel ; when this is not to be had, or not prefer- 

 red, the slip is to be prepared for planting by cutting it 

 smoothly just below a bud, as this seems to be the most 

 favorable point in many plants for the emission of roots. 

 Some plants will throw out radicles at any point indif- 

 ferently along the internodes or merithaUs. The prefer- 

 ence for heel-cuttings depends upon the fact, that near 

 the base of the annual shoot there are always a great num- 

 ber of buds, many of which, howevgr, being imperfectly 

 developed, are inconspicuous, but though dormant, they 

 seem to favor the emission of rootlets. Cuttings may be 

 made to grow if taken at any period of their develop- 

 ment, but when green and soft, they require particular 

 conditions of heat and moisture in the soil, and atmosphere, 

 that are only under the control of the professional gardener. 

 They are usually taken in the doi'mant state, because they 

 are then susceptible of being made to grow under the or- 

 dinary conditions of out-door gardening. If cut early in 

 the season, on the approach of autumn, after the wood- 

 growth has been perfected, they may be planted at once 

 with good prospect of success, or they may be put into the 

 3* 



