56 PICTORIAL PRACTICAL CARNATION GROWING. 
the shoots vary somewhat in strength and position. The stronger 
basal shoots may be layered with as much success as, and with 
little less ease than, plants out of doors. They should be prepared 
in the same way, so far as stripping and tonguing fare concerned. 
The same practice may also be observed with regard to soil, 2¢. 
the preparation of a special gritty, root-encouraging mixture. ‘To 
make room for this, carefully remove about 2 inches of soil from 
the pot, and substitute the fresh, making it firm right up to the 
brim. The plants will be best in the open air while the rooting 1s 
proceeding. 
In the case of shoots that are of the right character for making 
good layers, but are very high up on the plant, layering direct into 
small pots stood on or within the rim of the large pot may “be practised. 
As the layer cannot be taken down to the soil, the soil is taken 
up to the layer ; or a zine band or artificial rim may be pressed into 
use in order to raise the soil. In either case the details of layering 
are the same (see p. 87). 
Where the plants are grown in smaller pots, and the grass 
extends so far beyond the pot rim as to render the use of other 
pots or a band of no avail, the simplest plan is to plunge the 
PROPAGATION BY LAYERING. FIG. 25 (NEXT PAGE).—LAYERING INTO 
POTS STOOD ON THE PARENT PLANT POT. LAYERING WHEN THE 
PARENT PLANT POT IS SUNK IN ASHES OR SOIL. 
J, plant with grass or side growth too high up to allow of layering in its 
own pot: o, basal grass or shoots too short for layering; p, shoots too 
high up on the plant to be brought down for layering into the same pot ; 
qg, section of a pot stood on the parent plant pot and into which a shoot, 
p, is trimmed, tongued, and layered; 7, drainage; s, soil; ¢, layer 
tongued, pegged, and soil pressed firmly; ~, space for holding water; », 
layer as it appears after being properly made and inserted. Note: 
Instead of using pots for layering high up grass, a top-dressing or 
layering band may be used. One is made by A. Porter, Stone House, 
Maidstone, of zinc. ‘The ends are not fastened, but overlap about 
6 inches, so that by pulling out or pressing in they can be made to fit 
any pot up to 10 or 11 inches. In using the band, lift the pot, and 
pass it up from the bottom; then pull out or press in to the side of the 
pot, justinside the rim. If soil is placed in high up, the grass may be 
layered into it. 
K, layering grass grown beyond the pot rim at the layering joint, by 
plunging the plant pot in ashes and layering in a pot, or plunging in 
soil and layering in prepared compost outside the rim: w, pot plunged 
to its rim; z, grass grown considerably over the rim of the pot, but 
capable of being brought down for layering. Layering _ the pot is 
plunged in ordinary soil: y, ground level of aga y soil; 2, prepared 
soil placed in where the layer is to be affixed; a, layer prepared and 
properly inserted. Layering when the pot is iene in ashes: J, 
layering pot fixed firmly in ashes after filling with proper soil, and a 
layer duly inserted. 
