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Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 



part of the operator rather than any inherent difficulty in propagating the plant in 

 this way, since we know that it can be. and has been, done in Europe. 



It is essential, if the cuttings are to be rooted at all promptly, that bottom 

 heat be supplied, and tliat the work be carried on under glass. There has been 

 little difficulty in rooting tlie cuttings when tliese two conditions have been recog- 

 nized and supplied. The cuttings sho6ld be made of half-ripened wood — that 

 from the ends of the branches, and three or four inches in length. It is probably 

 not essential that the cuttings be made at any particular season, but it has been 

 advised to do the work during June, July or August. The time required for the 

 formation of roots is longer than with many other jilants, and a greater percentage 

 of cuttings may be lost, but under favorable conditions a good percentage has 

 been successfully rooted. 



A rather novel method of rooting cuttings of the Feijoa as well as other 

 hard-wooded shrubs, is that practiced by Mr. Stewart, foreman of the glass de- 

 partment of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Edinburgh, Scotland. This method 

 as discovered and successfully practiced by him has been named the Stewart Sun 

 Method, and althougii the difference in climatic conditions will necessitate its being 

 modified considerably in California, it should prove of great assistance in perfect- 

 ing a method of quickly ;ind successfully rooting Feijoa cuttings in this climate. 

 The cuttings are placed in pure sand in a glass-covered box and jjlaccd in full 

 sun. The heat inside the box becomes intense, so much so that an amateur would 

 expect the cuttings to be [)romi)tly killed; but if they are kept liberally supplied 

 with water — during hot weather they must be watered every half hour — they will 

 form roots within ten days. Shrubs tliat are considered impossible to be propa- 

 gated from cuttings Mr. Stewart has successfully rooted by this method, and those 

 that ordinarily recjuire two or three months to form roots can be struck in ten 

 days. 



By Budding: Attempts to bud the Feijoa do not seem to have resulted suc- 

 cessfully up to the present time. .Many propagators consider the wood too hard 

 and dry to bud successfully. However, the fact that guavas can be budded leads 

 to the belief that the Feijo.i can be budded as well. Both ])atch and shield 

 budding have been found to be practicable with tlie guava, and it is quite reason- 

 able to believe that one of these methods will be practicable with the Feijoa. 



By Layering: This is the simjjlest method of asexually propagating the 

 Feijoa. By it the majority of jilants in Europe, other tiian seedlings, have been 

 grown. It requires no skill on the part of the operator, and though not so 

 desirable for nursery work, it is an almost infallible method, and can be practiced 

 to advantage by those who have a superior plant and desire to propagate it. 



Layers may be rooted either in the ground, or in flats of soil supported by a 

 plhtform erected close to the bush. In layering in the ground it is only necessary 

 to bend down those branches which are most easily brought to the position, make 

 a shallow cut at an angle, on the branch, and cover a portion of the branch in- 

 eluding the cut, with soil to a depth of two or three inches. A small trench should 

 be dug for the purpose at the most convenient place, and if necessary the branch 

 may be held down with wire or wooden pegs. The layers require no further care 



