CUTTING 93 



Semi-wood Cuttings. — Semihard-wood cuttings are made 

 from wood that is nearly mature. Common examples 

 are the roses and the hydrangeas. These cuttings are often 

 made in the late summer or the early fall when the buds 

 have become fully developed and the wood has partially 

 matured. Semihard-wood cuttings occupy a place midway 

 between the soft-wood and the hard-wood cuttings. They 

 are cut about the same length as the hard-wood cuttings, 

 and are not stored but are planted at once in the propaga- 

 tion bed. Bottom heat should be provided if the best 

 results are to be expected, especially if they are rooted in 

 the fall or the winter. Semihard-wood cuttings should not 

 be planted too deeply and from 1^ to 2 inches is about the 

 proper depth. The length of the semihard-wood cuttings 

 varies, and ranges from 3 to 5 inches. One leaf is attached 

 to each cutting. 



Methods of Handling Soft-wood Cuttings and Semihard- 

 wood Cuttings. — The soft-wood and the semihard-wood cut- 

 tings are not handled in the same way as the hard-wood 

 cuttings. Since the tissue is soft and green and in a growing 

 state, it would be highly injurious to the cuttings if they 

 were stored in any way before being planted. Owing to the 

 nature of the wood from which they are made it is essential 

 for them to be planted directly in the propagating bed as 

 soon as they are made. 



The propagation bed is of any convenient size. It some- 

 times consists of only a shallow pan or a saucer in which 

 some clean, sharp sand has been placed. This is sometimes 

 called the saucer method for the propagation of cuttings. 

 Flats of any standard size may be used as receptacles for 

 holding the sand. The best and the most efficient place to 

 construct a propagating bed is in a greenhouse. A given 

 amount of greenhouse bench space should be provided and 

 filled with clean, sharp sand free from organic matter. It 

 is important that no organic matter of any kind is in the 

 sand, since this often causes great injury to the cutting by 

 rotting. 



The cuttings are placed in the sand of the propagating 

 box as soon as they are removed from the plant. When 



