PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



to bend over and peg down the branch, but, so as to form a 

 leader and assist in gaining an upright position, it should 

 also be tied or staked in a vertical position. Generally 

 speaking, trees and shrubs require two years before the 

 branches that are layered are sufficiently well rooted to 

 remove from the parent, but a few kinds require nearly 

 double that time before they can be severed with safety. 

 A good plan is, after the second or third year, to cut 

 through, behind the point that is brought in contact with 

 the ground, the layered branch, and to let it remain in 

 position for another year. It may then, unless in a very 

 few cases, be lifted and lined out with others in the nursery 

 border, and this mainly to get it into a good habit of growth 

 before being finally planted out. 



Most varieties of trees and shrubs can readily be increased 

 by layering the side branches in the way above described, 

 and it is a good plan to cover over with a spadeful of earth 

 that part of the branch brought in contact with the ground. 



(4.) By Grafting. This may best be described as a make- 

 shift method of increasing trees and shrubs. It has only a 

 few advantages, but many disadvantages, as is well known 

 to everyone on a large estate who goes in for collections oi 

 the less common kinds of trees and shrubs. 



; If a plant cannot be increased conveniently by any of the 

 above methods grafting may be resorted to, but the work 

 should only be intrusted to those who have great practical 

 knowledge of the art, and who have paid particular attention 

 to the attending evils of injudicious grafting. Some of the 

 errors in grafting may be cited as follows : Working on too 

 tall stocks, whereby an unnatural appearance and continual 

 source of danger in windy weather are brought about ; 

 grafting small scions on large stocks, and grafting evergreen 

 on deciduous species all of which have tended, in a marked 

 degree, to lower the art in the opinion of horticulturists 

 generally. 



The grafting of conifers may be performed at one of two 

 seasons : either early in spring or about the month of 

 August. Two-year-old stocks are most to be preferred, so 

 that the stock and scion may be of as near a size as possible. 



