ON INCREASING PLANTS BY INARCHING AND LATERING. 183 



direction, wliicli they will do in a few days ; without this precaution 

 it will be extremely difficult to tongue them M'ithout cracking, or 

 breaking them off, but if treated in this manner the most brittle may 

 be layed without danger. 



By tongueing is meant, the operation of cutting a small longitu- 

 dinal scalp, al)out half an inch in length, on the inner side of the heel 

 or bend which is to be inserted into the earth ; about one-third of it 

 should be cut oft" in a transverse direction, it being so placed that the 

 transverse cut may be immediately on or below the joint ; but by no 

 means is the whole of it to be cut away, as practised by some, it being 

 the part which, in most instances, produces tlie first fibres. Having 

 the layer thus prepared, the earth must be opened with the hand about 

 three or four inches deep, and in the direction of the shoot, into which 

 opening it would be advisable to put a little fresh loam or sand for the 

 immediate reception of the layer, Mhich should be fixed therein at 

 least three inches under the surface ; the tongiie should be gently 

 twisted sideways so as to prevent its resting within the heel or bend, 

 and the mould immediately closed tight over it. As many layers as 

 are wanted being thus made, let the whole have a moderate watering 

 to settle the mould, and be set or plunged in a good growing heat, as 

 it is of considerable importance to keep the parent plant in a free 

 thriving state. 



There are many plants which produce roots so freely that should a 

 branch even touch the surface of the ground they strike almost imme- 

 diately : these every gardener will soon become acquainted with by 

 their natural efforts, and, therefore, will find it sufficient for their 

 increase merely to insert them in the mould, noting, however, that a 

 filight twist on the part inserted will considerably promote their 

 rooting. 



It is a conclusion drawn from several experiments that the layer, 

 which is inserted to a proper depth, roots sooner and better than that 

 wliicli is layed nearer the surface ; the self-evident reason of which is, 

 that tlie deeper they are the air is better excluded, and there is a more 

 regular degree of moisture for the nourishment of the young fibres, 

 when they make their appearance. I must also observe, that no part 

 of tlie shoot should, on any pretence, be covered with the mould, 

 except that which is meant to produce roots, as the covering of the 

 whole renders it extremely liable to rot ; therefore, if any particularly 

 tender plant should happen to be thus treated, it would evidently 

 endanger the whole stool. This may seem an unnecessary observation 

 to some ; but I can assure such, that I have seen layei's made by 

 peojjle, who thought themselves extremely clever, where none of the 

 parent stool were left in sight, except the tops of each individual 

 layer : what was the consequence ? in a few months one-half at least of 

 the stools were without the least spark of life remaining, and of the 

 rest, which were so fortunate as to survive, perhaps not one-tenth of 

 the shoots layed produced plants. 



