THE PROPAGATION OP PLANTS 137 



sary to propagate them by means of buds. In 

 some cases, also, seeds are not produced freely, 

 and then recourse is had to buds. In many 

 instances, too, as in grafting, quicker results are 

 obtained by bud propagation than by seed prop- 

 agation. One means of dwarfing plants is to 

 graft them on kinds of smaller stature. 



228. Of bud propagation, there are two gen- 

 eral types, that in which the bud remains 

 attached to the parent plant until it has taken 

 root, and that in which the bud is at once sepa- 

 rated from the parent plant. Examples of the 

 former are layers ; of the latter, cuttings. 



'3b. Undetached buds 



229. A layer is a shoot or a root which, 

 while still attached to the plant, is made to 

 take root with the intention that it shall be 

 severed, and form an independent plant. 



230. The layers are bent to the ground, and 

 at one place or joint are covered with earth ; at 

 this joint roots are emitted. Layering may be 

 performed in either fall or spring, but the for- 

 mer is usually preferred. The layers are usually 

 allowed to lie one season before they are sev- 

 ered. Almost any plant which has shoots that 

 can be bent to the ground can be propagated 

 by layers ; but the best results are obtained in 

 plants which have rattier soft wood. 



