124 THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



watering must be repeated every few days if the weather is dry. 

 Under these conditions adventitious roots are produced at the 

 node within a month, and in two months' time from the date of 

 layering these roots will be sufficiently well developed to permit 

 of the separation of the shoot from the parent. The rooted 

 shoot is then potted in good potting soil, and placed in a cold 

 frame or on a window-sill. Care must be taken during the first 

 few days after potting that the plant is not exposed to conditions 

 which favour much transpiration, otherwise the plant will lose 

 more water than can be supplied by the roots, and will wilt. 

 The potting mixture should not be dry, and the plant should 

 not be watered for the first four days after potting. During the 

 winter the plants are kept preferably in the cold frame and 

 protected from frost. If a cold frame is not available the young 

 plants may be kept indoors during the winter, and planted out in 

 the beds at the end of March ; or again, the layered cuttings may 

 be planted out in a sheltered bed out of doors in the autumn, but 

 they will then require to be protected with matting during 

 severe winter frosts. 



