Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-18
THE ART OF PRopAGAFroN.

The saucer system of propagation will
answer every purpose, and it is the safest
of all methods in inexperienced hands. We
were, we believe, the first to introduce this
system some twenty years ago, and here
repeat the directions first given in one of
the horticultural journals at that time.
Common saucers or plates are used to
hold the sand in which the cuttings are
placed. This sand is put in t. the depth
of an inch or so, aud the cuttings inserted
in it close enough to touch each other. The
sand is then wRtered until it becomes in
the condition of mud, and placed on the
shelf of the greenhouse, or on the window
sill of the sitting-room or parlor, fully ex.
posed to the sun and never shaded. But
one condition is essential to success until
the cuttings become rooted the sand must
be kept continually saturated, and
kept in the condition OF mud; if once al
lowed to dry up, exposed to the sun
as they are, the cuttings will quickly
wilt, and the whole operation will be de.
feated The rules previously laid down for
the proper condition of She cuttings are
the same in this case, and those for the
temperature nearly so /; although, by the
saucer system, higher temperature can.be
maintained without injury, as the cuttings
are in reality placed in water, and will not
droop at the same temperature as if the
sand was kept in the regular condition of
moisture maintained in the propagating
bench. Still, the detached slip, until
rooted, will not endure continuation of
excessive heat, 80 that we advise, as we do
in the regular method of propagating, that
the attempt should not be made to root
cuttings in this way, in this latitude, in
the months of June, July or August, I'M
less with plants of tropical nature. When
the cuttings are rooted, they should be
potted in small pots, and treated carefully
by shading and watering for few days, as
previously directed
About twenty years ago we published
method of propagating geraniums, that we
believed originated with us, AID which we
called, for want Of better term, "Layer.
ing in the air." 1t consists in tonguing
the shoot to be used as a cutting half
through with a knife, as in the ordinary
layering; the shoot SO treated formed gran.
ulations, or "callus," on the cut surface,
and was in a condition to form roots i'm
mediately on being detached and put into
the earth. A year or two ago we again be-
thought ourselves of our long.forgotten
plan of 'layering in the air." but this
time we improved upon the former way of
doing it. Instead of tongning the shoot to
be used for a cutting as before, it was
merely snapped short off at point where
the condition of the shoot or slip would
make it hang on to the plant by the merest
shred of bark. Slight as this strip of
bark is, it is sufficient to sustain the
cutting, without any material injury from
whiting, until it forms the callus," or
granulated condition, which precedes the
formation of roots. The cutting, or slip,
may be detached in from ten to twelve
days after it has been broken in the man.
ner described, and then ported in two or
three-inch pots. II watered and shaded
rather less than required by ordinary cut
tings, it will form roots in ten or twelve
days more, and not more than two per
cent will fail. Plants of the tri-color gera-
niums, which all know are difficult to root
under the ordinary modes of propagation,
particularly in hot weather, do excellently
by this plan. The advantage of this
method is not only that the slips root with
far greater facility, but the injury to the
stock OF mother plants is far less than if
the slips had been cut clean off instead of
being only partly detached. Many other
plants can be thus propagated with safety,
notably begonias, petuuias, poinsettias, and
such plants, the cuttings of which have a
tendency TO damp in hot weather. RI The
Ladies' Floral Cabinet