372 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAPDENIXG. 



by means of cuttings. The preparation of these 

 consists of selecting long ripened slioots, which may- 

 be cut into lengths of about six inches, the middle 

 of the internode forming as suitable a base for the 

 cutting as a bud and leaf-axil (see Fig. 10). The 

 cuttings strike freely at almost any period of the 

 year, September being perhaps the most favourable. 

 A mixture of sifted loam, peat, and sand forms a 

 suitable compost for the new roots to feed upon ; 

 sand, both on the surface of the soil and at the base 

 of the cuttings, being essential for the support of 

 the cutting, and the early formation of roots. Treat- 

 ment similar to that advised for the Azaleas will an- 

 swer for the cuttings of Camellias until rooted. 



Oranges arc generally increased by grafting, 

 although cuttings of most of the commoner kinds 

 root freely if treated as advised for Camellias. Seeds, 

 however, are the most frequently used means of 

 raising a batch of young plants to form stocks for 

 the more delicate kinds. 



Rhododendrons. — The' popularity of the re- 

 cently introduced Indian Rhododendrons has led to 

 their being multiplied on a large scale by means of 

 cuttings, grafts, and seeds. 



It is too frequently the case that where a par- 

 ticular method has been in general use for the 

 propagation of certain plants, new-comers of the 

 same genus are operated upon in the same way, 

 without being experimented upon by the ajjplication 

 of other methods for their increase. This has been 

 the case wdth the new green-house Rhododendrons, 

 grafting being the only art employed to any extent 

 in their multiplication. IMost of them, in fact all of 

 them most likely, thrive at least as well w^hen grown 

 from cuttings as they do when worked on another 

 species ; and if the right pieces are selected to form 

 cuttings, large plants may be had in a comparatively 

 short time, A cutting is shown at Fig. 8. "When 

 treated liberally, the Indian Rhododendrons make 

 long and rather succulent growths, being sometimes 

 almost a foot in length. If these are severed 

 from the plant in the spring, with the thickly 

 budded portion of the last-made growth attached 

 to form a base sufficiently ripened to produce 

 roots, and be then placed singly in smaU pots 

 of sandy peat, and plunged in a bed of cocoa-nut 

 fibre, heated to a temperature of 75", covered with a 

 hand-light or frame, and kept moist and shaded, they 

 will produce a mass of roots in about six v>'eelcs, and 

 commence to grow vigorously almost immediately. 

 If grafting is preferred, the species most suitable to 

 form a stock is R. Princess Royal or Countess of 

 Haddington, both being free growers, and in e\ ery 

 way adapted for grafting upon. 



Arauearias. — With the exception of A. exceUciy 

 the Araucariv.s arc increased by means of seeds, 

 which are often imported in large quantities. 

 A. cxceha, however, is rarely propagated in this way, 

 the seeds being seldoui procurable. The cutting.-: 

 aro only to be had by removing the leader out of the 

 pkint, which causes it to produce several shoots near 

 the top. These when about six inches long may be 

 severed from the plant, cutting away a small portion 

 of the wood of the parent stem to form a heel, and 

 placed in a close frame of about 65", planting 

 them in very sandy peat. A prepared cutting is 

 shown at Fig. 7. Under this treatment A. 

 cxcclsa may be multiplied largely, as the old be- 

 headed plant continues to produce lateral shoots 

 until the whole of its latent buds are exhausted. 

 The branches of these plants are useless as cuttings, 

 as they never form a leader even if they root, but 

 always retain the character they had when upon the 

 plant. It is only the shoots that are produced under 

 the above treatment which miay be used for the 

 propagation of. this jplant. A. CooJcii, A. Itidei, and 

 several other green-house species of Aiaucaria may be 

 multiplied in the same way. 



There are many in-door plants for the increase of 

 w^hich the above-described methods may be success- 

 fully emj^loyed. The operator can always allow 

 himself to be guided in the choice of methods by a 

 comparison of the character of the different plants 

 treated upon above, with the character of those he 

 desires to propagate. 



Soft-wooded Plants.— Under this head we 

 include all those plants that are mo.st readily propa- 

 gated by means of young shoots. Many of them are 

 almost hard- wooded when mature, but as we have to 

 deal with that portion of their growth which is best 

 adapted for use as cuttings, it may be better to class 

 them with the really soft-wooded plants. An enor- 

 mous number of in-door garden plants have to le 

 dealt with here ; the majority of them being com- 

 paratively easy to manage, some of themi rather 

 difhcult, and a few exceptionally obstinate in the 

 propagator's hands. For the first of these a little 

 extra warmth, a moist close atmosphere, and a 

 suitable medium for the formation of roots, will be 

 found sufficient to enable the cultivator to increase 

 them abundantly. The most important particular is 

 the moisture, for although many of these plants root 

 quite freely w-hen placed with theii^ bases in water, 

 3-et the effect of an overdose of it when they are in 

 soil is often fatal. It must be remembered that the 

 gases contained in the soil are operated xi^on and 

 released by water, with which they mix, and, being 

 absorbed by the cutting in larger quantity than is 

 conducive to its health, they cause decay and damp, 



