202 GAKDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



in the stereotyped way, to place a chip or something be- 

 tween the tongue to keep it open. By this, the twisting 

 of the tongue aside keeps it always separate from the old 

 cut. Again, by this mode, very green shoots can be ope- 

 rated on — magnolias, for instance — in June, and plants 

 may be got well rooted by fall, instead of waiting for the 

 wood to ripen in August, when Ave have to wait for an- 

 other year before our layer is sufficiently rooted to take 

 from its parent. Another method of forming the tongue 

 is to make the cut upon the side, as in Figure 81. 



Instead of forming a tongue to make a shoot throw out 

 roots, the branch may be split in the center for two inches, 

 more or less according to its size, and the parts separated 

 with a bit of wood. Roots will be thrown out along the 

 edges of the split. The returning sap may also be ar- 

 rested by ringing; in which case a ring of bark is removed 

 from the branch for the purpose, or by a wire twisted 

 tightly around it pinching the bark. 



When the roots are thrown out naturally wherever a 

 joint touches the earth, as in the verbena, the branches 

 only require pegging down to make them form new 

 plants. Where it is difficult to get the shoot to be layered 

 down to the soil, a portion of the soil may be raised to the 

 plant, as the Chinese gardeners practice in a pot, the 

 earth in which should be kept steadily moist. 



Another mode of layering is by insertion of the grow- 

 ing point in the soil. When the shoots of a raspberry or 

 gooseberry are of some length and firmness, if the grow- 

 ing points are inserted in well-dug soil, they will form a 

 nice bundle of roots and a good bud ready for transplant- 

 ing in autumn. This is worthy of trial with many other 

 plants. 



The grape is best layered by digging a trench and lay- 

 ing therein a thrifty cane in the spring. Let remain until 

 young shoots, three or four inches long, are formed; then 



