PBACTICAL FOBESTBY. 



moderately dry. It should be well forked over and cleaned 

 of weeds, large stones being also removed. 



The cuttings may be made of the present year's growth, 

 with a small portion " heel " it is generally termed of the 

 old wood, and cut clean across beneath where a bud or shoot 

 has protruded, and, until a sufficient quantity has been made, 

 they should be stuck loosely in a heap of sand or soil, and in 

 the shade. 



In planting the cuttings, stretch a garden line along the 



previously prepared ground, and, having removed a trench 



about 6 in. deep, by cutting in a perpendicular manner with 



a spade along the front of the line, proceed to place the 



cuttings not too closely together, and leaning somewhat 



backwards in the trench cut out. This being done, it is 



always well, so as to hasten the formation of roots, to 



sprinkle a small quantity of sand or grit along at the base 



of the cuttings, at the same time regulating these as to their 



distances apart and upward inclination, the remaining 



portion of the trench being filled up with the soil formerly 



removed. Firm tramping is one of the chief points to be 



observed, as cuttings will not take at all quickly in loose 



soil. The line should then be moved forwards about 12 in., 



and the same methods of procedure taken in hand until the 



whole of the cuttings are inserted. For such shrubs as the 



common and Portugal laurel, privet, box, euouymus, 



laurestinus, aucuba, etc., the above method will be found 



the quickest and best for raising young plants from cuttings. 



It should be stated that cuttings taken from the sunny side 



of a tree or shrub always root more freely, and turn out a 



greater number of plants, than such as have been cut frcni 



the shady side indeed, this point should be carefully borne 



in mind and acted upon. Conifers, such as the various 



species of Cupressus, Juniperus, the Wellingtonia, etc., are 



also readily raised from cuttings inserted in the ground out 



of doors. It is, however, well to put such cuttings in boxes, 



so that they may have the advantage of being placed in an 



unheated frame, this greatly enhancing the speedy formation 



of roots. Two or three large frames are always useful in the 



nursery for the reception of choice cuttings, seeds, etc., and 



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