SUMMARY
A review of the literature permits certain summary statements to be made concerning
the propagation of spruce by stem cuttings.
1. Cuttings taken from different species, populations, and individuals vary in rooting
capacity.
2. Rootability of cuttings diminishes rapidly with increasing age of the ortet.
3. • To preserve the good rooting capacity phase of a tree, cuttings are taken from
slightly older rooted cuttings.
4. Cuttings collected from the lower third or half of the crown root better than those
from upper regions.
5. Lateral shoots root more easily than terminal shoots.
6. Plain cuttings, made by cutting shoots a short distance from their base, are adequate
for many species.
7. Although cuttings 5 to 8 cm in length are most commonly used, slightly longer
shoots are probably better to produce strong, upright plants within a short period of
time.
8. For rooting in greenhouses, cuttings are made from lignified shoots of the last
season's growth before flushing occurs.
9. For use in coldframes, cuttings are made generally during the summer from semilignified
shoots when shoot elongation is nearly complete and buds are forming.
10. In outdoor beds equipped with intermittent mist, both lignified and semi-lignified
shoots can be used, but must be rooted before late summer.
11. For mass propagation of clones, some nurserymen treat cuttings with IB A in
talc at a concentration of 3,000 ppm, while others obtain excellent results without the
use of auxins.
12. Cuttings basal-dipped in Captan can at times root and survive better than untreated
material.
13. In several countries medium-to-coarse sand is the standard rooting medium but is
gradually being replaced by a mixture of fresh sphagnum moss and sand, 1 : 1 by
volume.
14. To favour root regeneration, the temperature of the air is maintained between 10°
and 22 °C and the rooting medium no lower than 13 °C.
15. Weak nutrient solutions added to cuttings in the rooting medium at various
intervals have a beneficial effect on root and shoot formation, and survival.
16. As labour costs increase and operations become larger, automated systems will
become increasingly popular.