Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-27
INDOOR PLANT PROPAGATION.
Proper Time to Cut. Also Make Good
Selection of Soil.

In general the two most important
ways of propagating summer and nm
ter lowering plants are by means OF
cutting and by means of seeds. For
propagation by seeds Il loose friabie,
moderately fertile soil. with plenty of
sand and leaf mold in it, should be
chosen. II leaf mold cannot be Sc
cured, then any Well-decaNed Yegeta-
BILE matter, such as rotted sod. old
manure and decayed hardwood saw
dust may be mixed in with the soil.
For very fine seeds. the soil should
be sifted so as TO get rid Of humps,
stones and sticks The most minute
seeds should be merely pressed gently
upon the surface and then covered
with paper TO prevent undue eyapora-
ton. Larger seeds should be covered
only two or three times their dame
tiers. Preferably rather shallow seed
pans or flats should be used for start
ing plants from seeds. These should
be stood in shallow water rather tllah
watered by. sprinkling until after the
plants are well up. During the water
ing process. as soon as the surface OF
the soil is noticed to be getting dark
er from the rising water. the hats
should be lifted back on the bench or
the windowsill from which they have
been removed for watering.
The seedlings should be pricked out
in other flats or in little pots when
they begin to crowd each other and
be kept growing steadily so as To suf-
fer no check in development. To put
them in fats first may seem like a
waste of time but really 1t is not, he
cause if allowed To grow in this way
for a few weeks they make better
roots. and will stand subsequent
transplanting better than if placed d.
rectly in pots, no matter how small
Then. too, there is the saving OF space
and of loss of plants that do not
thrive from the start; only the pest
should be placed in pots AT least -FOUR
times as many plants should be put
into the flats as one expects To plant
IN the open ground or to keep for the
winter windows. This will permit OF
selection of the best when the time
comes for planting in the garden or
placlng ON the shelves In the house.
For propagation from cuttings, clean
sand or very fine sifted gravel, free
from vegetable matter, should ne
used. This allows of thorough Dram
age, provided the bottoms of the Hats
or pots are left more or less opeh' d
highly essential feature of propaga-
ton
For all plants mentioned IN the llst
below, ordinary iiying-room teinpera-
lures will be found satisfactory. but
if one can provide even warmer tenn
peratures, propagation may De mas
tened in some cases. The propagation
bed must never be allowed to become
dry. The surface may look dry, bat q
slight scratching of it will snow tllt
/ the lower part is still moist.
In 10 days or three weeks all OF tiie
cuttings that are worth CROWNS
! should have produced roots from tneir
| lower extremities. They should thell
| be lifted by pushing a thin nat troWei
| or q shingie beneath the sand, mum
| and then shaking the sand away, he
Young plants may then be placeu lh
, little pots and allowed to grow 1of q
week or three weeks or until the roots
| form a mat around the SIDES OF the
pots. They should then be transplant
! ed 10 large sized pots without III amy
way disturbing the ball OF @artH
| around them.
Two or more shifts to larger ana
! larger pots should be made before ehe
+; plants are set in the open ground OF
! in the final pots in which they are ~
nrodlce flowers the following winter
F; At all times weeds must be kept ou'
of the soil of the plants pfoauceu
either from cuttings or from seeds
The proper time to make cuttiiss
| denends somewhat on the kind OF
plant Roses, carnations, chfSsa1isiie-
| NUNS and other plants that produce
more or less woody stems should ~
/ allowed to develop their stems 20 az
| least the semiwoody stage. But pia'i'S
| such as geranium, SALIVA hehotrope
| plumbago. lemon yerbena, petunia ane