456 The Azalea and its Varieties. 



required, are to be planted and well trodden in, in the usual 

 way, so that the collar of the plant shall be close to the 

 surface of the peat soil, which must be some inches higher 

 than the surrounding surface of other soil, to allow for sinking 

 down, which it will after a few slight showers. The peat 

 must be well watered, to close the earth about its roots, and 

 here it will grow for years in health and strength, until its 

 roots have completely filled the portion of made ground, 

 when it will be somewhat checked in its exuberance by the 

 nature of the soil which its fibres will then reach. 



RAISING THE AZALEA BY LAYERING. 



The only mode of propagating the azalea profitably is by 

 layering. For this purpose, plants must be placed in the 

 centre of the regularly formed beds, four feet apart, down 

 the length of bed required according to the number. These 

 plants should be selected with plenty of branches coming 

 from near the ground. These branches have to be bent 

 downwards, so that a portion may be pegged down from one 

 to two inches below the surface. Let this be done in 

 autumn ; and as growth is the object while young, pick oiF 

 all the bloom buds. You may either slightly notch or slit 

 the branch just where it is to be pegged, or you may trust to 

 the bending down alone to cause the roots to push out ; let 

 the head of the branch be above ground, and when all the 

 branches round the plant (which is called the stool when 

 thus appropriated) are pegged down, and their growing ends 

 are as firmly held above ground, the whole may be watered, 

 to settle the earth close about them. When their growing 

 time comes, the branches thus pegged down all round will 

 send forth their leaves and new branches, whether they strike 

 root or not ; but if the weather prove warm and dry, let the 

 whole bed be watered ; and this must be repeated occasionally 

 until the growth of the branches be completed. They may 

 then be examined by turning the soil aside carefully, and if 

 they are well rooted, they may be cut off close to their roots ; 

 if not, they must go over another season before they are 

 separated from the stool, or mother plant. Many layer the 



