CHAP. IV.] CHINESE MODE OF LAYERING. 63 



a basket, is frequently adopted in the Con- 

 tinental gardens ; and it has the very great 

 advantage of producing a young tree which 

 will flower and fruit while yet of very small 

 size. It is generally applied to camellias, 

 orange-trees, and magnolias ; but it will do 

 equally well for almost any other tree or shrub. 

 When a plant is to be layered in this manner, 

 a ring of bark is first taken off, and then the 

 flower-pot is procured, open on one side so as 

 to admit the branch ; and some moss being 

 put at the bottom of the flower-pot, it is filled 

 up with earth, and a piece of wood is placed 

 inside the pot before the open part to prevent 

 the earth from falling out. It may be fastened 

 in its place by wires hung over a branch, or 

 supported by four little sticks tied to the pot 

 with string. .The earth should be very moist 

 before it is put into the pot, and if the season 

 be drv, it mav be remoistened from time to 

 time. When the layer is supposed to have 

 rooted, a tolerably deep notch should be made 

 in the branch below the pot; and afterwards it 

 may be cut off, and the young plant transferred 

 with its ball of earth entire, to another pot or 

 to the open ground. A simpler way of per- 

 forming the operation is, using a piece of lead 

 instead of a flower-pot. A modification of 

 this plan was adopted by Baron Humboldt in 

 South America. When he met with any tree 

 that he thought worthy of being introduced 

 into Europe, he took a ring of bark off one of 

 the branches, and then surrounding the branch 

 above the ring with moist earth, he bound 

 round it several strips of pitched cloth or oil 



