PROPAGATING BIENNIALS. 61 



a week in a tumbler of water, which greatly facili- 

 tates their doing well. Indeed, I never failed in 

 any pipings, slips, or cuttings, which I allowed to 

 soak and swell in water previous to planting. 

 When you plant the pipings, let the ground be nice- - 

 ly dug, and raked very fine ; dibble no hole, but 

 gently thrust each piping half way down into the 

 soft earth, slightly pressing the earth round each, to 

 fix it in the bed. Water them often if the weather 

 is dry, but moderately, just to keep them moist ; 

 and shade them from the hot sun in the day. If 

 pipings are covered with a hand-glass, they root 

 earlier, by three .weeks, than those which are ex- 

 posed. 



Laying, piping, and slipping, are done in June 

 and July. The plants will be well rooted, and fit 

 to plant out in October. 



The operation of slipping is easy. Tear the top 

 shoots of the plant to be so propagated, gently from 

 their sockets ; hold the shoot between your finger 

 and thumb, as near the socket as you can, and it 

 will tear as easily arid neatly as you carve the wing 

 of poultry or game. Place the slips in water for a 

 few days previous to planting them, like pipings. 

 They will root in six weeks or two months, if kept 

 shady and moist. 



Cuttings must be made of shoots of the last year's 

 growth of roses, honeysuckles, &c., and planted in 

 February. Choose the strong shoots, and do not 

 cut them less than six inches long. Cut them with 

 your knife in a slanting direction. Plant them in 

 a shady place, each cutting half way in the ground, 

 which should be cleaned, and well dug and raked, 

 to receive them. Cuttings made in February, will 

 root well by October. 

 6* 



