46 



THE GARDENER. 



parent root, and thus transferred it ultimately becomes 

 the sole ascending stem of the one to which it was 

 made to unite. 



" It is generally believed that although the stock and 

 scion are organically united by the operation of graft- 

 ing, yet that no other effect follows the operation than 

 what may arise from the slowness or quickness with 

 which the stock allows the sap to rise upwards into 

 the scion ; and it is generally believed that the scion 

 exercises no influence whatever upon the stock. It 

 is however perfectly certain that a bud of a variegated 

 jasmine, made to grow upon one branch of a large tree 

 of a plain jasmine, will gradually give the variegated 

 appearance to the plain stock. This was long since 

 asserted, then denied, and has been lately proved to 

 be true by new experiments." 



Layering, 



" Layering is an operation by which the propaga- 

 tion of plants is effected by laying down or bending 

 the shoots, so that a portion of them can be covered 

 with earth. A shoot so operated on is called a layer ^ 

 and the point which furnishes the layers bears the 

 name of stool. Some plants are so much disposed to 

 emit roots that if their branches happen to come in 

 contact with the earth they immediately begin to 

 strike. But although it may be easily imagined that 

 the observation of this common circumstance has led 

 to the artificial practice, yet some additional opera- 

 tions besides that of merely bringing a shoot in contact 

 wdth the earth are found necessary for many plants on 

 which this mode of propagation is practised. The 

 principle by which the operation is rendered effectual 

 for the object in view is the following : — When the 

 shoot of a species not freely disposed to send forth roots 

 has merely its bent part inserted in the earth, the 

 woody matter organized by the leaves passes down to 



