DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERING SHRUBS. 449 
Some varieties succeed well by cuttings, as the China and 
many of the tender Roses; but, with most of the hardy 
kinds, this is only resorted to by skillful gardeners. 
By Layers.—All the summer-blooming Roses may be 
propagated in this way. It can be performed in mid- 
summer, and for several weeks afterwards. Young shoots, 
at least one foot long and.well matured, should be selected 
for this purpose. The mode of operation is the same as 
in all shrubby plants. The soil should be well dug about 
the plant, and increased by a little fresh loam, well en- 
riched with rotten manure, raised about it, so as to form 
a little bed. Proceed, then, with the usual process of 
layering, “by making a slit with a sharp knife just below 
a bud, making a slanting cut, upwards and lengthwise, 
about half through the branch, forming a tongue from one 
to two inches long, on the back part of the shoot, right 
opposite the bud. A chip, or some of the soil, can be 
placed in the slit to prevent it from closing, and the shoot 
can then be carefully laid and pegged down at a point 
some two or three inches below the cut, keeping, at the 
same time, the top of the shoot some three or four inches 
out of the ground, and making it fast to a small stake to 
keep it upright.” The prepared shoot should be buried 
about three or four inches deep. Great care will be ne- 
cessary to prevent the branch from injury. The ground 
over the layer should be covered with moss, or coarse ma- 
nure, or some substance to screen it from the sun. In 
some varieties, the layers will be sufficiently rooted in au- 
tumn; but in many kinds, particularly the hardy perpet- 
uals, they will not be sufficiently established to separate 
from the parent plant till the autumn following the year 
in which they were laid. 
By Suckers.—Many varieties of Roses are inclined to 
throw up suckers. With these sorts there is no difficulty 
in increasing the stock. These should be taken off with 
