PROPAGATION. 



129 



ground stems or stolons, analogous to what is seen 

 in the reproductive character of the Strawherry. 

 The same character is met with among Amaryllida- 

 ceous plants, Orlnums and Agaves heing the com- 

 monest examples. It is generally supposed that 

 Cordylines (Dracaenas) are propagated from root- 

 cuttings, • hut the portions of the plants thus em- 

 ployed appear to he forms of the stem rather than 

 true roots. It is, however, often difficult to dis- 

 criminate between such parts and roots proper. In 

 Burhidge's " Propagation and Improvement of 

 Plants," it is stated that the thick roots of Platy- 

 ceriums wUl develop plants if employed as cuttings. 

 I am not aware of any Fern the roots of which would 

 develop huds, nor does there appear to he any 

 record of such having been seen except that here 

 mentioned. The thick iieshy roots of Dahlias, Aspa- 

 ragus, Alstroemerias, Bomarias, Dichorisandras, and 

 some others are useless for purposes of propagation 

 unless attached to portions of the stem ; at least, I 

 have never succeeded in getting plants from these 

 tubers when entirely severed from the stem. Such 

 organs appear to be meant to act as reservoirs, m 

 which food is stored against unfavourable conditions. 



In the subjoined list the names of those plants 

 which may be increased from root-cuttings are given. 

 Most of them have been successfully propagated in 

 this way at Kew, and the whole of them may be 

 considered well proved. It wiU be obvious, in what 

 is above stated, that a gi'eat number of plants would 

 probably prove capable of increase by means of root- 

 cuttings, so that in any doubtful case it will be advis- 

 able to try the roots, especially of plants not readily 

 propagated by any of the common methods. 



List of plants which may be propagated from 

 root-cuttings : — 



Acacia ^andis, 



A. pubescens. 



A. pulchella. 



Acalyphas. 



Anemone Japonica. 



Apples. 



Aralia Japouica. 



A. cordata. 



A. ps,T)yrifera. 



Araucarias (?) 



Aristolochia Goldieana. 



Amebia ecbioidea. 



Bouvardjas. 



Cephaelia Ipeoaonanlia. 



Cephalotus follioularis. 



Cherries. 



Clematis. 



Clerodendron fallay. 



0. fragrans, 



C. trichotomum. 



Dais cotinifolia. 



Droseras. 



Grejia Sutherlandii. 



Hellebores. 



Jasminuins. 



Madura tinctoria. 



HeUantbus. 



Monsonia lobata. 



Pseonia, herbaceous, 



P. Moutan. 



Paoax plumatum. 



Pasaifloras. 



Paulownia imperialis. 



Pears. 



Pelargoniums. 



Petrsea volubilis. 



Plums. 



Pulsatilla bracteata. 



Pyrus Japonica, 



Boses. 



Scolymus grandiflorus. 



Senecio pulcher. 



Stangeria paradoxa. 



Triohinium Manglesii. 



Xanthoceras orbifolia. 



tinue the growth of the plant on which they are" 

 formed. There is no real difference between what 

 we call a cutting and an eye, except that in the 

 former a portion of the branch, and generally leaves, 

 accompany the bud or buds. From this it will be 

 apparent that eyes when favourably situated will re- 

 produce the individual plant from which they have 

 been severed, exactly in the same way as is done by ■ 

 cuttings. There seems, therefore, no reason why 

 eyes should not prove equally advantageous with 

 cuttings for the multiplication of plants ; but with 

 only few exceptions eyes are incapable of forming 

 roots and becoming separate plants, and even these 

 exceptions are not eyes simply, but have attached 

 to them a portion of wood and bark, and sometimes 

 a leaf also. Practically eyes alone are incapable of 



PROPAGATION BT ETES. 

 Eyes, or buds, are incipient branches, developed 

 generally in the axils of leaves, and destined to con- 

 81 



Pig. 18. — EOOTED Etes. 



A, Eooted eye of DiefEenbaohia ; B, rooted eye of Cordy- 



line (Draocena), with young plamt developed from eye. 



being turned to good account for propagating 

 purposes, although the Vine may be said to be 

 almost an exception. The supposed instance of 

 natural reproduction by means of eyes which is said 

 to be shown by some Liliums, on the stems of which 

 buds are developed, and "separate spontaneously 

 from their mother-stem, and falling to the ground, 

 emit roots and become new plants," appears to us to 

 be of a different nature from ordinary bud develop- 

 ment. A Lilium stem does not form axillary buds 

 similar to what are seen in a Dracaena stem, for if 

 the top of the former be removed no lateral shoot is 

 developed, as would take place in the latter case ; on 

 the contrary, the growth of the Lilium stem is 

 stopped, and not unfrequently perishes. The bulbils 

 formed in the axils of Lilium stems appear to be 

 analogous to those produced by some Begonias and 

 the flower-stems of Agave. 



Each eye must be accompanied by a portion of 

 the stem, or a leaf, to enable it to form roots .and 

 grow. Eyes of Dracaena and of Dieftenbachia are 

 here shown, and it will be apparent from them that 



