84 EVERGREEN SHRUBS. 



if care is taken to shelter it for a few winters, 

 when it gradually adapts itself to the climate. 

 This is troublesome, perhaps, as most things are, to 

 indolent people ; but the trouble is well repaid by 

 the beautiful flowers of the japonicas, its dark 

 leaves, and delicate scent. 



The gum Cistus is a handsome evergreen, and 

 looks well any where and every where. Some 

 straw litter spread round their roots in winter is a 

 great protection. 



All evergreens of a hard-wooded nature are pro- 

 pagated rapidly by layers, in June or July. This 

 is the method : — dig round the tree or shrub, and 

 bend down the pliable branches ; lay them into the 

 earth, and secure them there with hooked or forked 

 sticks. Lay down all the young shoots on each 

 branch, and cover them over with earth about five 

 inches deep, leaving the tops out about two, three 

 or four inches above ground, according to their dif- 

 ferent lengths. If these branches are laid in June 

 or July, they will root by Michaelmas ; but if they 

 are laid in October, they will be a twelve-month 

 rooting. 



The layers of Alaternuses and Phillyreas will 

 sometimes be two years rooting, if done so late as 

 October ; therefore lay down your shoots, if possi- 

 ble, in June. Let the shoots which are layered be 

 those of the last summer's growth. 



You may propagate shrubs also from cuttings in 

 February and October. Let strong shoots be cho- 

 sen, of last summer's growth : choose them from 

 nine to fifteen inches long, and, if you can, take 

 about two inches of old wood with the shoots at 

 their base. Trim off the lower leaves, place the 

 cuttings half way in the ground, and plant them in 



