10 PROPAGATION OF PLANTS 



Twig Cuttings. — For almost all shrubs, the ripened in- 

 stead of the soft-growing wood should be taken, and pieces 

 with three or four eyes, axillary buds. Imbed about 

 two eyes, removing all the leaves from the imbedded por- 

 tion. If the plant has large leaves, cut off also part of 

 the exposed leaves to reduce the leaf surface so as not 

 to exhaust the life of the rooting twig. The best 

 season for the propagation of slips is September to Janu- 

 ary, after the hottest season. Of course I do not here 

 give methods used by florists by which they obtain the 

 largest possible number of plants from the smallest amount 

 of material. They have hothouses, cold frames, and 

 other appliances. This method is for the amateur to 

 obtain a few new plants. 



Root Cuttings. — All plants below ground are popularly 

 called roots, though many herbs and some shrubs have 

 rootstocks, or underground stems, that have buds or eyes 

 which will readily produce new plants. When any por- 

 tion below ground can be cut into pieces and planted in 

 soil as a method of propagation, the term " root cuttings " 

 is used. Pieces one to three inches long are taken, 

 slightly imbedded, and allowed to grow. 



Suckers. — Many species naturally send up stems from 

 below ground at some distance from the main plant, and 

 these stems are called suckers. These, after they get 

 a full start, can be separated and made to produce new- 

 plants. Trees or shrubs which readily sucker are, as a 

 rule, undesirable because they cannot be kept within 

 bounds. Many plants of great beauty are discarded on 

 account of this tendency. 



Layers. — Nearly all plants can be increased in number 

 by layering. Some, by the most experienced nurserymen, 

 can be propagated in no other way. By this plan a twig 

 is bent down to the ground, where it is covered with soil 

 and kept down by a weight or by sticks until it takes 

 root. Before imbedding, a slanting cut on the upper side 

 is made with a sharp knife, half severing the twig ; this 



