DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERING SHRUBS. 449 



Some varieties succeed well by cuttings, as the China and 

 many of the tender Roses ; but, with most of the hardy 

 kinds, this is only resorted to by skillful gardeners. 



By Layers. All the summer-blooming Roses may be 

 propagated in this way. It can be performed in mid- 

 summer, and for several weeks afterwards. Young shoots, 

 at least one. foot long and well matured, should be selected 

 for this purpose. The mode of operation is the same as 

 in all shrubby plants. The soil should be well dug about 

 the plant, and increased by a little fresh loam, well en- 

 riched with rotten manure, raised about it, so as to form 

 a little bed. Proceed, then, with the usual process of 

 layering, "by making a slit with a sharp knife just below 

 a bud, making a slanting cut, upwards and lengthwise, 

 about half through the branch, forming a tongue from one 

 to two inches long, on the back part of the shoot, right 

 opposite the bud. A chip, or some of the soil, can be 

 placed in the slit to prevent it from closing, and the shoot 

 can then be carefully laid and pegged down at a point 

 some two or three inches below the cut, keeping, at the 

 same time, the top of the shoot some three or four inches 

 out of the ground, and making it fast to a small stake to 

 keep it upright." The prepared shoot should be buried 

 about three or four inches deep. Great care will be ne- 

 cessary to prevent the branch from injury. The ground 

 over the layer should be covered with moss, or coarse ma- 

 nure, or some substance to screen it from the sun. In 

 some varieties, the layers will be sufficiently rooted in au- 

 tumn ; but in many kinds, particularly the hardy perpet- 

 uals, they will not be sufficiently established to separate 

 from the parent plant till the autumn following the year 

 in which they were laid. 



By Suckers. Many varieties of Roses are inclined to 

 throw up suckers. With these sorts there is no difficulty 

 in increasing the stock. These should be taken off with 



