14 
A test was made in order to investigate several points in the ordi- 
nary manner of planting, as whether or not the basal tip should be 
left exposed when several nodes above it have been covered, whether 
the cuttings make better growth in soil or leaf mold, and whether 
they should be taken some days before planting and allowed to wilt 
or planted immediately. Forty-eight tip cuttings of 10 nodes each 
were taken on the same day. Half of these were planted imme- 
diately, while the others were spread in a fairly well shaded place 
and allowed to wilt for 12 days before planting. Twelve-inch pots 
were used, three cuttings being set in each pot, with two or three 
nodes of each cutting covered. Eight pots were filled with leaf mold 
and forest trash collected from an old coffee plantation, the other 
eight being filled with a soil mixture of river sand and clay in equal 
parts. The pots were supplied with uniform amounts of water. 
Covered v. projecting basal tip. — The recommendation has been 
made 1 that, in planting, the lower tip of the cutting be left project- 
ing above the ground, as when this is covered decay frequently sets 
in, travels along the stem, and prevents the formation of strong 
roots on the part of the cutting below ground. To test this, 24 cut- 
tings were planted with the basal tip covered and 24 with the tip 
projecting into the air. In the table below results are not given 
with reference to this point, as no rotting from covering the bottom 
end of the cutting was observed. Allowing the basal tip to project 
in the air is considered an expedient planting practice, however, 
since, as even a sound stem in the ground or in the mulch is very 
susceptible to disease, a cut surface would appear an even more 
likely means of entrance to organisms which produce decay. 
Leaf mold v. soil for planting. — The roots were very carefully 
removed from the pots and their length measured to a quarter of 
an inch. The results are shown in the following table: 
Comparative growth of luilted vanilla cuttings and those planted immediately in soil and 
in leaf mold. 
Number of roots or 
root branches on 
six cuttings. 
Soil. 
Leaf 
mold. 
Length of root 
growth made by 
six cuttings. 
Soil. 
Leaf 
mold. 
Length of new vine 
growth made by 
six cuttings. 
Soil. 
Leaf 
mold. 
Cuttings planted immediately: 
61 days after planting 
73 days after planting 
Cuttings wilted 12 days: 
49 days after planting 
61 days after planting 
Total for 24 cuttings . 
162 
231 
123 
219 
225 
279 
181 
227 
Inches. 
314 
600£ 
192f 
452£ 
Inches. 
635* 
782 
Inches. 
10 
28 
34 
735 
912 1,559^ 2,887J 
M 
Inches. 
121 
Vanilla cuttings. Agr. News Barbados, 14 (1915), No. 333, p. 41. 
