— 6- 



or simply a bit of root two or three inches long.. So, 

 although it is an easy matter to take a geranium slip and 

 grow from it a sturdy plant, you must realize that this is 

 only one of the many methods of propagation by cuttings, 

 and that you might spend years in experimenting with 

 plant cuttings and then have much still to learn. 



Hardwood cuttings, that is, those made from ripened 

 wood, are best made in the fall and stored in sand, moss 

 or sawdust in the cellar until spring. Such cuttings may 

 vary in length, but it is best to make them not less than 

 six nor more than ten inches long unless there is a scanty 

 supply of stock from which to take them. Grape cuttings 

 should have from two to three buds, while cuttings from 

 the bush fruits, as currants and gooseberries, which have 

 shorter joints, will contain anywhere from five to ten buds. 



By the making of greenwood cuttings one gets re- 

 sults more quickly, as roots develop speedily. A shoot 

 may, however, be either too old or too young to make a 

 satisfactory cutting, and this can be very easily discov- 

 ered. Bend the shoot, and if it snaps off clean it is in 

 prime condition to grow, but one that bends or crushes 

 is probably too old, although it may bend because too 

 young to have developed any power of resistance. After 

 these green cuttings have been made (and perhaps you 

 will be wise to select geranium or coleus cuttings for 

 your first experiment), they should be set firmly in sand, 

 and kept moist enough to prevent wilting, and protected 

 from the sun for a week or so. 



In making cuttings use a sharp knife. Plant them 

 as soon as made. Keep their heads cool and their feet 

 warm; that is to say, the ground ought to be warmer than 

 the air. The object of this is to coax roots to develop 

 before tops. Covering cuttings with tumblers or mason 

 jars retains moisture and protects the cuttings. 



