Propagation by Cuttings and Layers. 21 
lights, and also with the sashes, which should be 
kept close until the cuttings commence to grow, 
when air may be gradually given to harden the 
cuttings. A partly spent Mushroom or Cucumber 
bed that would afford an appreciable degree of 
bottom heat would greatly facilitate the process of 
rooting. The pots should be plunged in this and 
likewise covered with hand-lights. Those who do 
not have any of these conveniences may yet 
succeed by procuring a few hand-lights, make up a 
bed of the above compost, about 3 or 4in. deep on 
the surface of the ground in a shady position, press 
it down quite firmly, proceed to insert the cuttings 
and when sufficient to fill a hand-light, the lower or 
bottom half of the latter may be placed in position 
and the cuttings watered through the rose. 
Shading by artificial means will only be necessary 
during the heat of the day if the sun shines upon 
the glass. 
Tree or winter-flowering and Malmaison Carna- 
tions are propagated chiefly by cuttings because the 
latter are usually situated high above the soil. 
Layers. 
A commencement may be made to _ layer 
Carnations in the open ground about the 2Ist 
July, and the work completed as early in August as 
possible to give them all the benefit of summer heat 
to hasten the process of rooting which will take four 
to six weeks, according to the geniality of the 
weather and the amount of sunshine. Plants in pots 
may be layered at the same time. These include 
show, fancy, and self varieties grown for exhibition, 
many of the two latter classes being really border 
Carnations. 
Before commencing to layer in the open ground 
make a shallow basin round the plant by means of 
a trowel and fill up the cavity with a similar com- 
post to that prepared for cuttings. Then with a 
sharp knife cut away the leaves on the lower part of 
the shoots to be layered, preserving all those on the 
upper four or five joints. The next process is to 
make a tongue on the lower side of each shoot, 
Enter the knife a little below a joint, passing up 
through the latter as near the centre of the shoot as 
possible, and for tin. above it. If the tip of the 
tongue is cut off close below the joint so much the 
better, as the new roots will be given off here; and 
