52 THE NURSERY 



(7) Other Methods of Raising Trees. 



Many trees are usually propagated by other means than 

 from seed. 



These other methods are : 



(1) by Suckers; 



(2) by Layers ; 



(3) by Slips or Cuttings. 



By Suckers. By this means it is usual to raise White 

 Poplars, Aspen Poplars, and Picardy Poplars. Small plants 

 are dug up in the woods, the roots being severed from the 

 parent trees with a spade. These roots are carefully trimmed 

 with a sharp knife, and then the trees are planted in nursery 

 lines and left there for one or two years. 



By Layers. This is the usual method for propagating 

 Lime and Elm. Certain trees are periodically coppiced, and 

 long shoots of about 8 years' growth are layered. 1 



By Slips or Cuttings. This is the usual method of 

 propagating Black Poplar, Black Italian Poplar, Willow 

 Privet, Laurel, and Box. The cuttings of the three former 

 should be taken in the spring, just as the sap is rising ; when 

 if not planted into lines at once, they should be left with 

 their ends in water ; cuttings of Privet, Laurel, and Box 

 are best taken in September. 



The cuttings of Poplars and Willow are usually obtained 

 from coppiced stool shoots of about 4 years' growth, older 

 wood should not be used. Sometimes, however, they are 

 cut from uncoppiced trees, but it is not to be recommended, 

 and it takes much longer to cut the "slips." A sharp knife 

 must always be used. 



The usual practice is to cut truncated " slips " about j to 

 9 inches long; these are then lined out in the nursery, by 

 pushing them into the soil, and leaving only about J of an 

 inch showing above the ground. 



Great care must be taken not to skin the bark in pushing 

 them in, and if the soil seems a little too stiff, it is absolutely 



1 Layering or Plashing is described in Chapter X. 



