296 



PLANT PROPAGATION 



into two-inch lengths ; store in green sawdust in cold, humid cellar till 

 spring; then plant horizontally an inch deep in sand. 



30. Fill up hole left in ;^9 ; thrust spade full depth of blade ver- 

 tically in soil at intervals of six inches from hole so as to form circles 

 around the hole and thus cut the roots that remain ; compare plants so 

 produced with those made as in 29. 



31. Secure cuttings as in 30, but after a month's callusing grow 

 in greenhouse. Compare with plants of 29 and 30. 



32. In spring root prune, but do not remove "stool," by making 

 three or four circles with the spade around the stool as in 30. Note 

 results. 



33. Tuber cuttings. — Cut an Irish potato into pieces so each 

 piece will have at least one "eye," another a good deal of flesh, a third 

 very little flesh, a fourth cut through the middle of a good bud. Note 

 differences in plants produced, and if desired, in resulting crop. 



34. Cut a tuber from end to end and from side to side, plant 

 the pieces shallow in sand near together and note any differences. 



35. Plant one sweet potato whole, another cut in half length- 

 wise and a third crosswise in warm greenhouse or hotbed, the cut 

 pieces cut side up and down respectively. Cover with half inch of 

 sand. Note results and any differences. 



36. Greenwood cuttings. — Make "soft wood" cuttings of any green- 

 house plants available, part cut at, part just above, and part just below 

 nodes; leave all leaves but the bottom ones on some; remove all but the 

 top two or three on others ; on still others, remove bottom ones and cut 

 back the others fully two-thirds, leaving the growing tip bud in each 

 case. Shade some with paper, leave some unshaded. Vary the ex- 

 periments otherwise as desired and note results. 



37. Evergreen cuttings. — In October make cuttings of arbor 

 vitae or spruce four or five inches long. Cut (don't pull) off foliage 

 from three-fourths of the base, plant in flats of sand immediately and 

 set away in cool place. Keep shaded, moist, not wet. If out of doors, 

 examine to see if rooted six to twelve months from planting. If in- 

 doors with bottom heat they may root in less than two months. Try 

 both plans and decide which is the better and why. 



38. Mature wood cuttings. — In fall make two and three ■ bud 

 cuttings of grape from last season's growth. Bundle up, label and 

 bury, or store in damp moss, etc., to callus. In spring plant soiue 

 obliquely, some vertically, some with two buds and some with only ont* 

 bud showing, in a frame out of doors or in the open field. Note dif- 

 ferences. 



39. Cut similar canes (38) an inch or so on each side of a bud to 

 make single-eye cuttings less than three inches long. Bury and handle 

 as above, except that in planting place some cuttings with the eye in 

 various positions from horizontal to vertical and at varying depths in 

 the sand down to, say. three inches. Note differences, 



40. Make heel and mallet cuttings and handle as in 38. 



41. Compare mature wood cuttings of Americana, domestica, Mariana, 

 triflora and other species of plums. Which strike root most easily? 



42. After making cuttings as in 38. store some under varying con- 

 ditions of moisture and temperature. Which conditions produce best 

 results ? 



43. Plant some cuttings made as in 38 in fall where they are to 

 remain. Mulch some, but leave others bare. Compare each lot with 

 the other, and at close of growing season with plants produced by the 

 38 method. 



