CHAPTER Mil 



CUTTAGE 



138. Cuttage is propagation by plant parts — roots, 

 rhizomes, tubers, stems or leaves — cut in pieces with or 

 without buds. These pieces take root and asexually 

 produce new plants of the same variety as the parent 

 plant. It is in general a cheap, quick and handy way to 

 secure large numbers of plants in a given time. But 

 while all plants may perhaps be multiplied by cuttage, 

 there are some which may be more economically handled 

 by other means such as grafting, budding, division, etc. 



For instance, certain varieties of apples, pears, plums and peaches 

 readily strike root from cuttings, but the great majority do not; 

 therefore, the pome fruits are largely grafted and the stone fruits 

 budded, the most satisfactory method being chosen in each case. 

 In other words, species differ in the facility with which they may be 

 propagated by cutting, grafting or other method. Nothing but ex- 

 perience with the actual plant can decide the matter. 



The term "cuttage" is supposed to refer to cuttings of 

 the stem, except when qualified l)y the name of some 

 other part used ; as tuber cutting, leaf cutting, root cut- 

 ting. By amateurs stem cuttings are often called "slips." 



Cuttage, separation and division blend into one another 

 almost imperceptibly, but in cuttage the parts are sev- 

 ered from the parent before any roots are formed. 



Propagation by cuttings is a' cheap, convenient and 

 therefore very popular way to secure new plants. Prob- 

 ably all species of plants may be propagated by one or 

 more methods of cuttage, using one or another part, but 

 with annuals, biennials and many perennials some other 

 method (layerage, graftage, seedage, etc.) is often easier 

 and cheaper. Even varieties differ in ability to root. 



For instance, when Clothilde Soupert rose was a novelty a certain 

 seedsman bought stock from which to grow new plants for sale. He 

 gave orders to his propagators to secure a certain number of plants, 



95 



