PLANTS MULTIPLIED BY LAYERS, ETC. 27 



a few roots. But there are others, such as dahlias, paeonies, 

 and rhubarb, which cannot be properly separated by the 

 hand, and vdth. these the crown or eye ought to be cut with 

 a sharp knife, so as not to tear or bruise the parts ; and 

 each division should, if possible, have a piece of the body 

 of the root, and also some fibres, with their tips uninjm-ed. 

 This, however, is not indispensable, for the crovm or eye 

 alone will often grow without possessing any fibres at the 

 time of planting, as is the case wdth auriculas; though 

 the fibres vdll, in very few instances, succeed, without 

 having some part of the body of the root, or of the crown, 

 attached to them. 



The chief points then to be attended to in the propa- 

 gation of plants, by dividing the roots, is to see that each 

 division has, at least, a few roots, and either a bud or eye, 

 or the rudiment of one. 



This mode of multiplying and increasing plants, it will 

 be seen, is almost as natural as propagation by seed, 

 except that, by the latter, plants difi'use their own seed, 

 and increase their own species ; while, by the one now 

 under consideration, the assistance of man is necessary to 

 perform the operation for them. It is now, however, very 

 seldom practised, except with a few common sorts, and 

 herbs, as by the methods yet remaining to be detailed, a 

 much greater number of young plants may be obtained. 



i 6. — Propagating hy Offsets, Layers, and StccJcers. 

 I- Many plants, instead of having a number of crowns or 

 (eyes, have only one, and send off short stems like the daisy 

 ^and houseleek, or large runners like the sweet violet, the 

 I ground ivy, and the strawberry, with young plants at the 

 ' end, which readily take root, and may either be allowed to 

 do so after cutting the runner, or before the separation, if 

 it is required to make them rather stronger. 



The time for doing this must be in some measure regu- 

 lated by the growth of the offsets, and by the season of 

 the year ; for it is important that all such plants should 

 be well rooted and established in the soil, before the 

 usual period for the commencement of autumnal frosts. 



When the offsets are not naturally capable of forming 

 roots of themselves, as in the carnation, an operation 



