THE IVY, AND ITS USES IN PARISIAN GARDENS. 311 



by means of cuttings is carried on. Three or four leaves 

 are left on each cutting, and they are planted very thickly in 

 lines in a half-shady position. When they have taken root 

 sufficiently, which generally takes place in the following 

 spring, they are transplanted into pots of four or five inches 

 in_diameter. Afterwards stakes are fixed along the lines of 

 pots, from which are stretched lines of thin galvanized wire, 

 and to this slender but firm trellis from three to five feet 

 high the plants are trained several times during the growing 

 season. At the end of the second or third year the plants 

 are strong enough to be employed to cover railings, and for 

 many similar purposes. The nurserymen in the suburbs of 

 Paris generally propagate them by layers. For this purpose 

 old plants are placed at a certain distance from each other, 

 and are allowed to grow long. Pots from four to six inches 

 in diameter are then plunged in the ground around, the Ivy 

 being fixed in them by means of small pegs, one shoot in 

 each pot. Afterwards stakes are placed in the pots, and 

 the Ivy trained against them as it grows. When the layers 

 are sufficiently rooted, they are separated from the old 

 plants, and towards the end of the second or third year it 

 is ready for use. If a wide belt of Ivy is desired, the 

 young plants may be put in in two or three rows, as the 

 French do when making such excellent Ivy edgings as are 

 here described. In any case, after the plants are inserted 

 the shoots must be neatly pegged down all in one direction. 

 The reason why Ivy edgings when seen in England look 

 so poor compared with those in Paris, is that we allow them 

 to grow as they like, and they get overgrown, wild, and en- 

 tangled, whereas the French keep them the desired size by 

 pinching or cutting the little shoots well in, two or even 

 three times every summer, after the edging has once at- 

 tained size and health. The abundant supply of established 

 plants in small pots enables the French to lay down these 

 edgings so as to look well almost from the first day. 



