CHAPTER XI. 



OP PROPAGATION BY LAYERS AND SUCKERS. 



With regard to layers, there is little which it is necessary to 

 say regarding them, if what has been stated respecting eyes, 

 leaves, and cuttings, has been rightly understood and well 

 considered. A layer is a branch bent into the earth, and half 

 cut through at the bend, the free portion of the wound being 

 called " a tongue." It is, in fact, a cutting only partially 

 separated from its parent. 



The object of the gardener is to induce the layer to emit 

 roots into the earth at the tongue. With this view he twists 

 the shoot half round, so as to injure the wood- vessels ; he 

 heads it back so that only a bud or two appears above ground ; 

 and, when much nicety is requisite, he places a handful of 

 silver sand round the tongiied part ; then pressing the earth 

 down, so as to secure the layer, he leaves it without further 

 care. The intention of both tongueing and twisting is to pre- 

 vent the return of sap from the layer into the main stem, while 

 a small quantity is allowed to rise out of the latter into the 

 former ; the effect of this being to compel the returning sap to 

 organize itself externally as roots, instead of passing downwards 

 below the bark as wood. The bending back is to assist in 

 this object, by preventing the expenditure of sap in the 

 formation or rather completion of leaves ; and the silver sand 

 is to secure the drainage so necessary to cuttings. 



In most cases, this is sufficient; but it must be obvious that 

 the exact manner in which the layering is effected is unimpor- 

 tant, and that it may be varied according to circumstances. 

 Thus, Mr. James Munro describes a successful method of 



