PEOPAGATIOX. 



369 



our subject into sections, each, one of "svliich. will be 

 devoted to certain plants requiring a particular kind 

 of treatment for their propagation ; and although 

 the limits of oui' space will not admit of the enume- 

 ration of all those plants to which such treatment 

 is adapted, all those that will serve to illustrate our 

 observations, as well as those of special interest and 

 importance, will be mentioned under the respective 

 methods that are considered best for their propaga- 

 tion. 



Before dealing with these, however, it will be well 

 to lay down a few general rules which apply more or 

 less to the treatment of all cuttings. The portion of 

 a plant most suitable to be selected as a cutting 

 depends upon the condition of the plant as regards 

 gTOwth and health ; upon its nature — whether hard- 

 wooded, soft-wooded, herbaceous, or succulent ; and 

 upon the time of year when the cuttings are to be 

 put in. AVith regard to the fh-st, it is important 

 that the plants intended to be propagated should be 

 in perfect health, for although sickly cuttings may 

 be induced to strike root, they frequently remain 

 long in a weak and very precarious condition, and 

 nearly always fail to gi'ow into healthy, vigorous 

 jDlants. The condition of growth varies according 

 to the nature of the plant, but in the case of the 

 majority of plants, in which the period of growth is 

 succeeded by one of rest, the most favourable time 

 for their propagation is directly after the gi'owtli is 

 ripened, and before the fall of the leaves, if de- 

 ciduous. Hard-wooded j)lfiiits should always bt 

 dealt with on the completion of their growth, vrhich 

 is generally in the autumn, though there are many 

 Australian plants which require treatment some- 

 what different from this, to which, however, we will 

 refer under the beading Hard-wooded Plants. 



Soft-wooded plants, such as Fuchsias, Pelargo- 

 niums, Bouvardias, kc, may be struck at almost 

 any time, though the autumn is the most favourable 

 season for many of them. The same may be said to 

 apply to herbaceous and succulent plants. In the 

 spring, when vegetable life is awaking from its 

 winter's sleep, and bui'sting forth into vigorous new 

 growth, the propagation of many plants may be suc- 

 cessfully performed. The condition of the wood, 

 together with the strong activity of the sap in the 

 vernal season, is esjaecially favourable for the pro- 

 pagation of quick-growing plants, and as all danger 

 from the elfects of winter is avoided by deferring 

 this work until spring, it will be found a good plan 

 to leave the whole of those plants that strike root 

 readily and grow fi-eely, to be dealt with after the 

 winter is about over. 



Hard-wooded Plants.— All those plants the 

 young growth of which ripens qrdckly into hard wiry 



72 



wood are understood by this term. The Heaths. 

 Epacrises, Azaleas, Camellias, Coniferse, and many 

 Australian plants are examples of plants of this 

 nature. The propagation by means of cuttings of 

 the whole of these requii-es great skill and attention, 

 owing to the necessity of splecting as cuttings only 

 those portions of the plants which possess the power 

 of striking root, and the length of time it takes for 

 them to callus and produce roots. 



Heaths. — The propagation of these popular 

 plants, and especially of those kinds that require 

 green-house treatment, is an art in itself. In large 

 estabhshmcxits, where Heaths are propagated by the 

 thousand yearly, the success of the expert propa- 

 gator is almost marvellous, when we consider how 

 extremely ditlicult it is to increase many of the 

 kinds. 



The season most favourable for putting in the 

 cuttings of these plants commences in August and 

 continues until the February following. Autumn, 

 however, is the most preferable time ; cuttings put 

 in then having sutEcient time to root and become 

 strong before damjD and dark weather sets in. The 

 portions of the plant to be selected as cuttings are 

 the wiry little pieces about one and a half inches 

 long, which are formed about the base of the plants 

 and clothing the lower portions of the principal 

 shoots. In gathering these, the operator must be 

 careful not to pinch the tips, or the cuttings will 

 surely perish when subjected to the close damp at- 

 mosphere beneath the bell-glass. If possible, these 

 shootlets should be gently pulled rather than cut 

 from the jilant, as by pulling, a portion of the old 

 wood remains attached to the base of the cutting, 

 which is of great assistance to it in callusing and 

 forming roots. AVhen gathered, the lower half of 

 each cutting should be stripped of its foliage by 

 pulling away with the finger and thumb one or 

 two leaves at a time. If done carefull}', there is no 

 danger of the bark coming away with the leaves. 

 Scissors were once used for this purpose, but the 

 operator will succeed better without them, and 

 avoid all risk of injuring the cuttings by the awk- 

 ward use of such tools. AYith a little practice, the 

 stripping may be performed very successfully, and 

 much more rapidly than is possible when scissors 

 are used. A sharp knife should be used to make a 

 clean cut at the base of the cuttings. It is a bad 

 l^ractice to put the cuttings of Heaths, and indeed 

 of any plants, into water and leave them for any 

 length of time, with a view to the prevention of 

 flagging. A damp clcith is the most useful article in 

 which to envelop cuttings that cannot be put into 

 the pots at once. The size of the pots to be used for 

 the reception of the cuttings may vary according to 



