Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-06-01
Hints on Roofing Slips.

In the saucer system of roofing cut
tings, the vessels are filled with sand
simply. The cuttings should be small
and several can be put in one saucer.
The sand must be kept SO that it is
like mud, and the saucer must be
placed where it will get plenty of sun.
Never shade from the sun, but pro-
tect from the wind. This is all that
is necessary to insure successful root
ing with good slips. When pouring
water on, care must be taken to do it
very gently, so as not to throw down
or even unsettle the slips.
The professional makes great use Of
tiny pots, two inches in diameter at
the top and two inches deep. Rooted
slips do far better in small than in
large pots, where they are apt to be-
come waterlogged. They should be
potted in fine sandy soil and kept
shaded for two or three days until the
roots have time to strike into the soil.
In from four to eight weeks, accord
ing to the nature of the cutting and
the heat it has had, the little pot will
be filled with nest of roots and needs
repotting, but do not use too large
Pot.
Swamp moss is so useful that any
commercial greenhouse would not
think of getting along without it. In
small pots half an inch at the bottom
is filled with this moss Tor drainage.
In six-inch pots and larger layer of
an inch or more OF charcoal is used in
the bottom and this covered with
moss. have used dried grass in
place of moss with good results. It
surely pays to use moss or grass. An
other item of drainage much more
important than the above, and not
universally known, is to keep the pots
on rough material, such as cinders, so
that air can get under them and water
pass off more freely. Pots placed on
little blocks of wood do nicely. This
drainage question is especially i'm
portant with roses, as they especially
dislike excess of water at the roots.
There is one simple rule for getting
cuttings at the proper stage. If on
bending the slip it breaks of short it
is good. If it bends without break
ing it is too old. One of the most
certain methods, and one which does
least injury to the parent plant where
many slips are wanted, and especially
good for foliage plants that are liable
to rust under common treatment, is
called ''layering in the air. The
shoot is cut, but left hanging to the
plant by bit of bark, and is allowed
to hang there for 10 or IL days. The
wound heals over, and if the plant has
been kept in moist atmosphere, the
slip will already have begun to root in
the air, but even if no roots have been
sent out, the healed surface is the first
step toward roofing, so all that is nec-
essary is to detach it and plant it in
tiny pot. I have also rooted begonias,
geraniums, wax plant and oleanders in
bottle of water. Fill the bottle up
to the neck with warm water and in
sert the cutting half inch in the
water, letting the top extend out from
the bottle neck. Place in the sun and
keep the bottle filled with water.
After the first roots start, leave it
alone several days before potting.
Begonias and geraniums will root in
week in either sand or water if kept
warm enough. Some plants require
longer. Verbenas and petunias also
root quickly. Water with warm
water, use small pots, protect from
winds, supply good drainage, furnish
rich, porous soil, then with good cut
tings, onlookers will say you have
magic in your fingers as regards your
success in roofing growing slips. e.
Clearwaters in New England Home.
stead.