THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 



of the parent plant, so that its properties are retained with its indi- 

 vidual peculiarities, defects, or excellences. First of all, we propagate 

 by suckers, as many trees such as the elm, plum, and quince throw 

 up other trees from their roots. It is only necessary to sever one 

 of these little trees (fig. 103, A) from its parent, to obtain another 

 of the same variety. Where suckers do not spontaneously arise, a 

 branch is layered in the earth and securely pegged down. This 

 after a time roots, and, when severed from the parent, forms a 

 duplicate tree of the same kind. We favour the production of roots 

 by partially cutting across the bough where it is laid in the earth 

 (fig. 104). There is a process much like layering, which is frequently 

 used on the Continent, and which is sometimes used by ourselves, called 

 circumvallation (fig. 105). A shoot of a living tree is placed through 



FIG. 105. Circumvallation. 



a pot which is filled with earth or cocoa-nut fibre : this is kept 

 continually moist till a mass of roots is formed, which causes the branch 

 to become a second tree. I generally place a piece of wire tightly 

 round the branch below the insertion into the pot, and gradually cut 

 away the stem, both of which operations appear to me to facilitate 

 the production of roots. 



Lately I have been trying other methods of circumvallation. A 

 piece of gutta - percha tubing about 8 inches long was slit down 

 and made to cover a branch ; the slit was then closed with a 

 warm iron, and the bottom closed in the same way. The inside was 

 filled with cocoa-nut refuse and kept clamp, when in a short time 



