Annual report ..[bulletins and circulars] . lant stuck into the ground stands a chance of growing ; andthis bit is a cutting. Plants have preferences, however, asto the kind of a bit which shall be used, but there is no way oftelling what this preference is except by trying. In some 84 W^ 46.— instances this preference has not been discovered, and we say thatthe plant cannot be propagated by cuttings. Most plants preferthat the cutting be made of the soft or growing wood, of which the slips of geraniums andcoleus are examples. Others growequally well from cuttings of thehard or mature wood, as
Annual report ..[bulletins and circulars] . lant stuck into the ground stands a chance of growing ; andthis bit is a cutting. Plants have preferences, however, asto the kind of a bit which shall be used, but there is no way oftelling what this preference is except by trying. In some 84 W^ 46.— instances this preference has not been discovered, and we say thatthe plant cannot be propagated by cuttings. Most plants preferthat the cutting be made of the soft or growing wood, of which the slips of geraniums andcoleus are examples. Others growequally well from cuttings of thehard or mature wood, as currantsand grapes ; and in some instancesthis mature wood maj^ be of roots,as in the blackberrj. Somewhatdifferent principles underlie thehandling of these two kinds of cut-tings ; and these principles we maynow consider. We shall find itexcellent practice to set the pupilsto making cuttings now and we can do nothing more, we canOne-half ^^^^ cuttings of potatoes, as thefarmer does ; and we can plant themin a box in the Geranium cuttingnatural size. The Softwood Cutting. The softwood cutting is made from tissuewhich is still growing, or at least from thatwhich is not dormant. It must not be allow^edto wilt. Therefore, it must be protected fromdirect sunlight and dry air until it is wellestablished ; and if it has many leaves, someof them should be removed or at least cut intwo in order to reduce the evaporating sur-face. Keep the soil uniformly moist; andavoid soils which contain much decayingorganic matter, for these soils are breedingplaces of fungi which attack the soft cuttingand cause it to damp off. For most plants, the proper age or maturity of wood for themaking of cuttings may be determined by giving the twig aquick bend : if it snaps and hangs by the bark, it is in proper
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