PROPAGATING FRUIT TREES. 197 



soil, they will make vigorous growth, and be in 

 good condition for budding in midsummer. 



There are five methods of perpetuating desira^ 

 ble varieties of fruits and other plants, which 

 will here be described. 



By Division. — Many plants, like the Japan 

 Quince, throw offsets which may be separated 

 from the parent and form new plants. Others, 

 like the raspberry and blackberry, send up nu- 

 merous suckers from the root. The strawberry, 

 on the contrary, sends out runners on the surface 

 which take root. This is Nature's work, with 

 little for the cultivator to do, but to avail him- 

 self of the results. 



By Cuttings. — Next to division, this is the 

 simplest and cheapest process, when it can readily 

 be applied. The currant, gooseberry, grape, and 

 quince, as well as many trees and shrubs, like the 

 WiUow, Poplar, Spiraeas, and Weigelias, will root 

 with facility from hard wood cuttings. Indeed, 

 nearly aU kinds of wood may be induced to emit 

 roots by a slow process of softening the wood, 

 under favorable conditions of heat and moisture. 

 Partially ripened wood, tisuaUy called soft wood 

 cuttings, will root quicker than harder wood, pro- 

 vided a little foliage is left, which is sustained 

 in a cool, moist atmosphere until the roots form. 

 This is the ordinary way of striking roses and 



