ON TAYIXG CARNATIONS. 



125 



to break off. When, therefore, tire layers are dressed and 

 ready to be pegged down, it is requisite the plant should be 

 placed in the sun for a short time, say half an hour, in order 

 that the layers may become flaccid and pliable, I have found this 

 a very beneficial experiment. 



I have always found it the best mode of proceeding to give the 

 plants a good watering after the process of laying, and also to 

 shade them from the influence of the mid-day sun, till the layers 

 has taken hold of the soil by rooting themselves firmly. They 

 will be rooted generally in about three or four weeks, and may 

 be removed in two months. 



When the roots of the layers have struck firmly in the ground 

 they may then be cut off from the mother plants, with nearly 

 an inch of the stalk below the incision attached to them, and 

 with the root fibres as entire as possible. The sticky parts near 

 the bottom and the top leaves must be trimmed off, and the young 

 plants will then be fit for planting out either in beds or in pots, 

 just as the inclination of the person laying may think fit. If 

 planted in beds, they may be placed six or eight inches distant 

 from each other with a dibber, and have a good watering every 

 second day till they take fresh root, which will not exceed tw» 

 weeks, and I consider the best time for separating the layers to 

 be about the middle of March. 



When the roots of the plants appear to be firmly fixed in the 

 soil they should be removed with balls of earth about their roots, 

 and potted in large or small pots, according to the fancy of the 

 grower. If on removal from the mother plants they are to be 

 potted, this maybe done in pots No. 48, or larger, according 

 to the number of plants to be placed in each pot; the compost 

 should be good loam and leaf mould in equal proportions, which 

 I have generally found to answer the purpose, and to produce 

 strong plants, and fine flowers. After planting, I place the pots 

 upon boards, slates, or tiles, that the intrusion of worms may be 

 prevented, and about the middle of October I convey them 

 to a place of safety to protect them from the winter frosts. 



Unless very strong and sound, the plants from which the 

 layers are taken, seldom survive, but it may sometimes happen 

 that the young upper shoots be left, as is often the case 

 when they are too short to be conveniently laid. These short 

 shoots will of course continue the growth of the pl.int By pro- 

 moting the absorption of the sap feom the soil. Th? old plants 



