40 TREES AND SHRUBS 



and soon form good trees or shrubs as the case 

 may be. 



CUTTINGS. Nearly all the hardy shrubs, and a 

 small proportion of hardy trees also, can be pro- 

 pagated by cuttings taken at certain times of the 

 year. Summer cuttings are taken during the last 

 two weeks of May and throughout June, the actual 

 time depending on the season, and consist of the 

 young shoots that have grown to a length of 3 to 

 6 inches. These should be pulled off with a " heel," 

 and inserted in sandy soil in a close frame, with 

 brisk bottom heat. The cuttings should be taken on 

 a dull day, or early in the morning, and kept cool 

 and moist until they are in the frame. A cutting 

 that has flagged is useless, as it never revives. De- 

 ciduous flowering shrubs are usually propagated by 

 summer cuttings, which generally root well in a 

 fortnight or less. Autumn cuttings are taken during 

 August and September, and are made from the 

 partially ripened growths of the current year, in- 

 serted in sandy soil, in a close frame, without bottom 

 heat. Winter cuttings are made from thoroughly 

 ripened wood at any time between October and 

 March, and are laid in rather thickly in rows out- 

 doors, and only about an inch or less is left above 

 the soil. The majority of our best flowering shrubs 

 are easily increased in this way. 



LAYERS. Excellent trees and shrubs can be got 

 by layers, and they may be laid down at any time 

 of the year ; they will be ready for removal in about 

 eighteen months or two years. 



