56 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



carefully cut away with a tiny piece of the tuber 

 or stock attached, and rooted and grown like 

 any other cutting. The removal of one eye 

 induces another eye, dormant heretofore, to 

 develop, and this again may be removed when 

 grown to the proper size. This method comes 

 midway between propagation by root division 

 and green cuttings, and is not such a drain on 

 the strength of the tuber. More plants may be 

 had than by root division, but naturally fewer 

 than by making green cuttings. It is a simpler 

 method for the beginner. 



Grafting has been tried successfully by a 

 number of growers, and in the case of rare and 

 valuable plants is an excellent method, for tJie 

 strength of a healthy tuber is given to the cutting 

 grafted upon it. The tuber destined to hold the 

 graft should already be rooted in a pot (a dis- 

 carded "blind" tuber is ideal for this purpose). 

 The cutting should be made from a growing 

 plant. The stem must be cut wedge-shaped and 

 the neck of the tuber cut to fit. The two wounds 

 are placed together, bound with raflSa, sealed 

 with wax, and enough soil put over to cover the 

 junction. Bottom heat on the bench will soon 

 cause the two to unite, and a fine plant is the 

 result. 



Where the cost of labour must be considered. 



