224 PRACTICAL GAEDENING. 



the branch, being curtailed of its usual nourishment, will make 

 an effort to supply the deficiency. But there are many ways 

 of intercepting the course of the sap ; in some cases, by 

 cutting the wood or branch half through by a notch ; but 

 this would often lead to the fracture of the other half when 

 we attempted to bend it, so that it is generally made a work 

 of some nicety. The best way, perhaps, is to find, by bending 

 down the branch, where it will best dip into the soil ; and at 

 this place, with a sharp knife cut a sloping cut into the wood, 

 and gently incline the knife, so that in a cut of an inch and 

 a half we may get nearly, but not quit-e, to the centre of the 

 wood, and this should reach a joint, or place where there is a 

 leaf ; but the knife must go a little further, say an inch past 

 the joint, and the wood shaved up below the joint must be 

 cut off close to the under part of the joint. When the earth 

 is loosened, and a peg put' in to hold the branch down, the 

 joint naturally opens out a little way, and the branch, de- 

 prived of one half its nourishment, but not of all, will live, 

 but not flourish much, until it shall, by emitting roots at the 

 joint, make up for the deficiency of its natui'al stimulant. It 

 is the practice to layer many hard-wooded plants. Eoses also, 

 when growing on their own roots, may be layered. Moss-roses 

 are commonly layered for propagation ; and every shrub or 

 tree that throws up suckers from the root will always root 

 quickly on being layered. Climbing plants root in general so 

 rapidly at the joints that layering is done without any cutting. 

 There may be a complete lengtli, or shoot, laid along the 

 ground, and a stone laid on every joint, or the joints all 

 pegged down ; for they will, for the most part, root even on 

 the surface. The proper mode of treatment, for a preparation 

 for layering, is to plant out the subject, whatever it may be, 

 in a place convenient for the operation. Cut back the shrub 

 pretty close to the ground if it be very young, but if it be an 

 established plant, and the branches can be layered the first 

 year, be it so ; but all the branches that cannot be layered 

 must be cut back close ; then layer the branches, in the way 

 we have described, all round. AYhile the old branches are 

 growing and taking root, fresh branches are springing up for 

 layering next season. When the branches are layered they 

 ought not to be more than three or four inches out of the 

 ground ; therefore, in rhododendrons, azaleas, andromedas, 

 deutzias, laui-ustinus, hardy heaths, lilacs, ribes, and any 



