182 ON INCREASING PLANTS BY INARCHING AND LAYERING. 



tlie splicing takes place, here, on the contrary, neither the scion is 

 separated from its parent, nor the head of the stock cut away, until 

 the union becomes so far complete that the first is unnecessary and the 

 latter injurious. It is, in consequence, much preferable to the com- 

 mon grafting, for evergreens in particular : it is principally practised 

 as the best means of multiplying all the double varieties of Camellia 

 and plants of similar habits, because their strong leaves, if only for a 

 few days deprived of their regular support by being cut clear from the 

 mother stock, if not covered closely with a glass, will be certain to 

 wither and fall off, after which there will be but very slender chance 

 of the scion's completing an union : it is performed as follows : — 



Having provided a stock, which should always be some of the 

 coarser free kinds, of the same genus of plants, and nearly of the same 

 diameter as the shoot which is intended for inarching, cut a thin slip, 

 from two to three inches long, and about one third or something better 

 of the whole thickness, smoothly off from each of them, in the clearest 

 part of the stem, with a small sharp knife (a most necessary instru- 

 ment for this business) ; the bark of each must then be fitted together 

 in the most exact manner, at least on one side, and tied perfectly tight 

 with good matting ; they must be clayed in the same manner as grafts ; 

 and, as being within doors in a warm house will occasion the clay to 

 become over-dry and liable to crack, they should, at least in dry weather, 

 receive two or three times a week some water from the rose of a water- 

 pot, or by means of a syringe, to preserve it in a proper moist state, 

 observing to do it in the evening lest the leaves should get scorched 

 by the rays of the sun : a little moss tied neatly round each ball of 

 clay will prevent the water being so frequently necessary, which is, in 

 my opinion, very desirable. Eight or ten weeks will, in general, be 

 found sufficient time for them to unite ; at all events, by that time, 

 I think, they may be partially separated from the parent plant by cut- 

 ting the inarched roots better than halfway through ; and if, on trial, 

 they are found to be united, and bear that operation well, they may in 

 a few days afterwards be entirely cut off and placed in a shady part of 

 the house, where they must be kept moderately syringed as before, 

 and some additional shade given, according to the state of the weather, 

 for two or three weeks ; during which time they may be untied, and 

 the top of the stock cut off in a neat manner, and also any unnecessary 

 part of the bottom of the scion that may remain : let a little clay be 

 again applied, that these fresh wounds may have sufficient time to 

 become properly healed, which will take place in a few weeks. In 

 this manner have I succeeded with Myrtus Pimento, and other plants 

 allied to it, which are particularly difficult to strike or propagate by 

 any other means on the common Myrtle with tolerable success, and 

 also many other plants of the same description upon their kind. 



In laying, choice should be made of the young tender shoots of the 

 present year, the soft bark of which will sooner form a callosity and 

 produce roots than tliat of any of the preceding year's growth. It is 

 particularly necessary to observe, whether the plant intended to be 

 layed is of a brittle nature or not ; for, if it is, it will be necessary 

 that the shoots be pegged gently down to the surface previous to 

 laying, and thus left until their tops naturally acquire a perpendicular 



