LAYERING. 
ec 
Fig. 35.—Layer of a Carnation. 
woody plants on the upper side. 
In both cases, the knife is entered 
immediately below a bud or joini; 
roots being always more freely pro- 
truded at the joints of plants, than 
in the intervals between them. The 
cut is generally made half through 
the shoot, and continued up half 
an inch or an inch, and to keep it 
open a small splinter of wood, or a 
small flat stone, or a piece of slate, 
or a potsherd, is put in between the 
divided parts to irritate the wound 
and cause it to protrude granulous 
matter. See fig. 35. In layering 
herbacecus plants, it was formerly 
the custom to shorten the leaves re- 
maining on the layer, but in modern 
practice this is considered unneces- 
sary and even injurious, by lessen- 
ing the powers of the leaves to 
elaborate the sap. The leaves are 
always stripped off that part of the 
layer which is buried in the soil; 
as shown in the layer of a Petunia, 
Jig. 36. In layering some woody 
plants, such as certain kinds of 
Roses, Tree Peonies, &c., the entire 
shoot is laid down, and the knife 
entered immediately below each 
eye; and, the wound being kept 
open by splinters of wood or stones, 
the whole shoot is covered with 
23* 
Fig. 36.—Layer of a Petunia. 
earth to the depth of half an inch 
or an inch, according as the soil is 
sandy or loamy, and a shoot is after- 
wards sent up from each eye, so 
that a shoot thus laid down produ- 
ces nearly as many plants as it has 
buds. This practice is much more 
successful with some kinds of shrubs 
and trees than with others, and it is 
not at all applicable to herbaceous 
plants. Some shrubs, such as the 
Honeysuckle, ‘Tecoma, Wistaria, 
&c., which produce long shoots, 
and continue growing throughout 
the summer, may be pegged down 
as they grow, and a slit made be- 
hind each bud, or every other bud, 
covering the joint so treated with 
soil. A great many plants are thus 
produced from a single shoot in one 
season, more especially in moist, 
warm summers, or in a warm situa- 
tion, where water is applied arti- 
ficially. Layers of every descrip- 
tion root most freely in sandy soil, 
in an open airy situation; and those 
which are difficult to root succeed 
best where the soil is almost a pure 
sand. The layering of Carnations 
is an operation particularly suitable 
for ladies, more especially when 
the plants are in pots, as they can 
be placed on a table or bench, and 
