PROPAGATION. 69 



of at the depending portion, the tongue is more sure to be 

 separated from the stock, to which it might otherwise 

 reunite. To insure rooting, some persons insert a little 

 stick or chip between the separated portions, to prevent a 

 re-union of the parts. The shoot, after being notched, 

 is fastened down, and fine soil or compost is brought 

 about it to encourage the development of roots. Few of 

 the hard wooded fruit trees have been extensively prop- 



Fig. 6. MANNER OF CUTTING AND PEGGING DOWN A LAYER. 



agated by means of layers ; they might be so produced, 

 but it has not been found profitable nor necessary. 



A very common opinion prevails that layering exhausts 

 the mother plant, or vine, which is used in this mode of 

 propagating. If properly conducted, there is no reason 

 why this should be ; but if the whole top of any plant is 

 bent down and made to take root, and to form independent 

 roots, there can be little or no return from the branches to 

 the original stock to strengthen it. A certain amount of 

 healthy growing wood should always be left in its natural 

 position, and no danger to the plant need be apprehended. 



The wood growth of the strawberry, when allowed to 



