The first comprehensive book on plant propagation oriented to the practical needs of the professional nurseryman. From growing from seed through the various means of cuttings, grafting, layering, etc. to tissue culture, every means of propagating woody plant material is dealt with in detail. Variants of all the methods discussed are clearly outlined to meet the inevitable variations in facilities (greenhouses, lath houses, cold storage, etc.), mother plants, etc. -- in short all the factors which the professional nurseryman must take into account to develop and maintain a profitable propagation unit. Every chapter contains examples of a wide number of species for which each technique is particularly well-suited.This is the first of a two-volume practical encyclopedia of plant propagation.

The second volume is planned as a dictionary in genus/species order with specific recommendations fo the propagation techniques best suited for each.The breadth and depth of the information contained in this first volume reveal the author's years of experience in propagation in Britain, Europe, and North America. Another noteworthy and related example of the author's involvement with plants is the plant introduction scheme which he has developed at the University of British Columbia Botanic Garden in cooperation with the B.C. Nursery Trades Association. Few plantsmen can match the author's worldwide knowledge and familiarity with all the nuances of propagation and its techniques.