118 Extracts from the Journals. [July, 



the West-Highland cattle of Scotland, and to some of the moun- 

 tain and other breeds of sheep. Sebright has well remarked, 

 however, that the circumstances in which wild animals are placed, 

 " produce all the good effects of the most skilful selection;"* and 

 though it is not unlikely that they frequently breed from close 

 affinities, their freedom irom disease or defect probably prevents 

 the bad consequences which might attend such breeding with ani- 

 mals in an artificial state. The conclusion therefore is, that abo- 

 riginal races and breeds are readily continued without crossing. 

 With varieties which have been produced by crosses, it is admit- 

 ted the case is different. The original fixed habit being broken 

 up by the cross, their course becomes erratic, and their qualities 

 various. Hence the exercise of much skill is required to continue 

 them. " What has been produced by art," says Sebright, " must 

 be contined by art." — Cultivator. 



LAYERING OF FRUIT TREES. 



BY J. SLATER. 



I am engaged in the nursery business, and it may be interesting 

 to some of your readers to learn my manner of propagating fruit 

 trees. I commenced with grafting and budding seeding stocks at 

 the ground. When my grafts were two years old, I commenced 

 with what I shall term linih layering; and as this mode of layer- 

 ing may not be understood by all of your readers, I will describe 

 it. I take the lower limbs of my grafts and bend them down to 

 the ground, and at that place in the limb which will be buried 

 deepest, I cut the limb on the under side about half way off, and 

 split it about an inch toward the end. I then cover it with fine 

 earth about six inches deep where it is cut, leaving the end of the 

 limb turned up out of the ground. As these limbs grow, the re- 

 turning sap forces out roots from the under side of the cut ; and 

 when the roots have sufficiently grown, the limb is cut from the 

 tree and transplanted in the nursery. 



The time required for these layers to get well rooted, will be 

 from one to three years — as some varieties take root much more 

 readily than others. The time which writers on this business 



* Speaking of animals in a wild slate, Sebright says — " The greatest num- 

 ber of females will of course fall to the share of the most vigorous males; 

 and the strongest individuals of both sexes, by driving away the weakest, will 

 enjoy the best food and most favorable situations for themselves and their off- 

 spring. A severe winter, or a scarcity of food, by destroying tlie weak and 

 the unhealthy, has all the good efl'ects of the most skilful selection. In cold 

 and barien lands no animals can live to the age of maturity, but those who 

 have strong constitutions; the weak and the unhealthy do not live to propa- 

 gate their infirmities, as is too often the case with our domestic animals." 



