280 THE NURSERY. [MARCH. 



be laid in the autumn or spring following ; these stools, as they 

 are commonly called, continue for many years, always laying down 

 the shoots of the last season, and every year successively they pro- 

 duce abundance for the ensuing year's laying, still taking them off, 

 cither in autumn or spring as they become well rooted. The elm, 

 linden, mulberry, and maple, do extremely well in this way, but it 

 is seldom practised on any of the pine family. The far greater 

 number of kinds will be well rooted and fit to take off in one year 

 after laying, some not till the second, and others not until the third 

 year ; but the latter are very few. 



The ground in these quarters should always be kept free from 

 weeds, be manured occasionally, and dug every autumn and spring, 

 being careful not to disturb the layers. 



After the layers are taken up, the stools must have all the wound- 

 ed parts taken away, and any old branches cut off, pretty close to the 

 stems : the next season these will produce new shoots, which may 

 be laid the autumn or spring following. 



The best season for laying all the kinds that do not root freely, is 

 autumn, and the young shoots of the preceding summer's growth, 

 should be preferred ; these should be tongued as hereafter di- 

 rected. The free rooting kinds may be laid either in autumn or 

 spring, as convenient. 



Though branches may be laid at any time, yet the best season for 

 laying hardy trees, that shed their leaves, is October or November ; 

 for such as are tender early in March ; evergreens may either be 

 laid at the latter period or in June or July. 



When the branches or twigs cannot be bent down into the ground 

 lay them in boxes or pots, filled with good earth and elevated to the 

 necessary places by blocks, tressels, or benches. Too much of the 

 head of the layers must not be left on, and the smaller, the less 

 should be left out of the ground, except they are twigs of the for- 

 mer years growth, and intended for timber trees, in which case 

 they should not be topped. 



Many trees and plants will not put out roots from old wood- 

 branches ; yet if the young shoots of the same year be laid in July, 

 they will often root very freely : but as those shoots will be soft 

 and pithy, they must not have too much wet, which would cause 

 them to rot ; cover, therefore, the surface of the ground with mossj 

 which will prevent its drying too fast, and a little water will suffice. 



In many kinds of the young shoots of the same year, if laid in 

 June or July, they will be well rooted by the November or spring 

 following, and may then be taken off. 



When layers are to be made from green-house shrubs, or other 

 plants in pots, the laying should be generally performed, either in 

 their own pots, or in others placed convenient for that purpose. 



Sometimes the branches of trees are so inflexible as not to be 

 easily brought down for laying ; in which case they must be half 

 cut through, as practised in plashing hedges, and by that means 

 brought down ; or when they are got too old for plashing, or that 

 the nature of the wood will not bear that operation, they may be 

 thrown down on one side, by opening the earth and loosening or 

 cutting the roots on the opposite. 



