1086 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



Plants originated from cuttings taken from plants in a 

 flowering state, have an advantage over seedling-plants, as 

 they come into bloom much sooner, and often while quite 

 small; thus geraniums, and many other plants, propagated 

 from the terminal shoots that would produce flowers, are found 

 to root and come into bloom when only a few inches high, 

 and often in pots of not more than three inches diameter. 

 Seedling-plants, although they in general grow much more 

 luxuriantly, seldom produce their flowers till they have attained 

 nearly their full size. Plants originated by laying, also bloom 

 soon, but can seldom be trained, excepting in the case of 

 creeping or climbing-plants, to any thing like a handsome 

 head. But laying is the only means by which some plants can 

 be propagated with flicility, and hence it becomes necessary. 



Plants originated by budding, grafting, or inarching, come 

 into bloom soon after the operation is completed ; but unless 

 the operation be performed with judgment, the part of union 

 long remains a blemish. In recrard to buddincr or inarchin^r 

 those species which are difficult to be otherwise propagated, 

 it should be borne in mind, that almost all plants capable of 

 being increased by this means, will take upon one or other of 

 its own family that may either be more plentiful or less va- 

 luable ; and some plants will take upon others not directly 

 belonging to their own genus, but nearly related to it in natural 

 affinity. 



The modes of propagation pointed out to us by Nature, are 

 seven : first, universally by seeds ; secondly, partially by off"- 

 sets, slips, germes, runners, suckers, and bulbs, and by these 

 means all plants are naturally multiplied. But so many cir- 

 cumstances combine, in the culture of many species, that ren- 

 ders it impossible for the best cultivators to increase their 

 stock by these means. Artificial methods have, therefore, : 

 been invented, and these may be enumerated under five heads, 

 namely, cuttings, budding, grafting, of which there are many 

 varieties, (see Fndt Garden,) inarching, and laying. By 

 some of these means, almost all plants cultivated in our gar- 

 dens may be increased or perpetuated. 



In propagating by natural means, we may observe, that, as 

 seeds are the first, and by far the most general of all the na- 



