98 



PRACTICAL PLANT PROPAGATION 



Fig. 45. 



Layering 

 Hydrangeas 



(o) Where the shoot is cut off when the young plants are 



taken up. 

 (6) Shows the point where the piece of shoot is cut off to 



make the young plants ready for planting, 

 (c) Willow branch holding layered branch in the soil. 



sidered: it should be rather light, mak- 

 ing work easy for the operators; the 

 layers, too, root more freely in light, 

 sandy soil than in any other kind. 

 Light soil, heavily enriched, may be 

 placed around the plants. 



Having the plants at a proper dis- 

 tance apart, and the soil prepared, the 

 next thing is to prune the 

 plants, to cause them to 

 make some young, 

 strong shoots for 

 layering. These 

 shoots should, 

 preferably, be 

 of the same sea- 

 son's growth, 

 though older ones 

 will root. If not 

 already pruned, do 

 it before growth 

 starts, cutting the 



Fig. 46. Air layers. A, A branch notched preparatory to air layerage. B, A 

 Chinese layer, the notch has been covered with a ball of moist sphagnum moss. C, A 

 pot layer; a pot filled with moss or sand has been used instead of just a ball of moss 



(See page 97) 



