PROPAGATION BY BUDS LAYERAGE 65 



ways, chief among which are : Simple, compound or ser- 

 pentine, continuous, mound or stool, Chinese or pot. 4 

 96. Simple layers (Fig. 55) are made by bending and 

 covering the branches with more or less soil. In general, 

 a shallow and short trench or a small hole is made in the 

 earth and the branch pegged or weighted down in it prior 

 to being covered with soil to the depth of two or three 

 inches but with 6 to 12 inches of the extremity of the 

 shoot uncovered to draw sap and elaborate plant food. 

 To hasten root formation the stems are often wounded 



FIG. 55 LAYERING OF VARIOUS KINDS 



A, ordinary layering; a, layering pegs; B, continuous layer; C, serpentine layer 

 (alternate nodes pegged down). D, mound or stool layer. 



at the points to be covered. Wounding may be done by 

 scraping the bark or cutting through the cambium layer 

 on the lower side of the branch below the bud or shoot to 

 grow, or it may be by severely twisting the branch at this 

 point. Hacking with a knife near the node is also often 

 done. These woundings tend to form adventitious buds 

 on which root growth in asexual propagation depends. 



So many species and varieties of shrubs may be prop- 

 agated by simple layering that it seems probable any 

 woody plant capable of being bent to the earth can be 

 thus propagated. (Currant, gooseberry, golden bell.) 



Black raspberry canes and shoots cannot be made to 

 root well when covered at more than their tips. (Fig. 

 56.) When the tips are about ready to take root they 



