SHRUBBERIES AND FLOWER-GARDENS. CHAP. 



take the two top joints of a branch, which are the fittest 

 for this purpose ; cut off immediately below the second 

 joint, and with a sharp instrument 5 peel off the outer 

 loose skin from the joint, and make a little split up it for 

 about two eighths of an inch ; shorten the leaves a little 

 way above the upper joint, and this will leave your piping 

 about two inches long. Having procured the number f 

 pipings that you mean to plant, throw them into a basin 

 of rain water to soften them. You will now have to 

 plant them, either in the open ground, or on a hot-bed ; 

 but, in either case, you must cover them with a hand- 

 glass, or a striking-glass, which is a small hand-glass, not 

 more than eight or ten inches square. On a gentle hot- 

 bed is best, the mould being one third maiden earth, one 

 third leaf-mould, one third well rotted horse-dung, and 

 with a sprinkling of sharp sand amongst it. Place your 

 glass down where you are going to put the pipings, and 

 thus mark out the space ; then take your pipings out of 

 the basin and force them, one by one, into the mould to 

 about three parts of an inch of their length, and let 

 them be an inch apart from one another. Do not put 

 on the glass till all the leaves and stalks are dry, for they 

 would inevitably rot if you were to do this. When they 

 are dry, however, put on the glass, making its edges fit 

 exactly into the mark that you made by its means before 

 you began planting, and thus you will not disturb or 

 crush any of the outer pipings. Thrust the edges of the 

 glass down a little way into the earth, so that no air can 

 get in. This is what the French call stifling. Shade by 

 means of netting or matting from the sun, but yet do 

 not exclude its rays completely. It is in giving air, light, 

 and moisture, at this time, and for the following three 



