34 



THE GARDENER. 



CHAPTER III. 



OPERATIONS OF GARDENING. 



Having premised these particulars, I shall proceed 

 to consider the theories on which some of the leading 

 operations of gardening are founded, and to furnish 

 some details of practice to illustrate my position. 



Plants are propagated and increased naturally by 

 their seeds, and artificially by budding, grafting, lay- 

 ering, cuttings, slips, &;c. ; and of those different 

 modes of multiplying, some are peculiarly applicable 

 to certain classes of plants : and though propagation, 

 by a great law of Providence, is most frequent through 

 seed, the artificial means are in numerous instances 

 far preferable, from the habits of the plants themselves, 

 as well as from the gain thus obtained in the matur- 

 ing of them. All very short-lived plants, however, 

 evidently form exceptions to the propriety of employ- 

 ing this mode. 



With respect to seed-sowing, the quantity of earth 

 with which grains should be covered ought to be exactly 

 proportioned to the size and nature of the grain. Ex- 

 periments have proved that grains of wheat, which is 

 by many farmers supposed to require a heavy layer of 

 earth, may be successfully grown without any covering 

 of earth at all ; the roots being established in soil of 

 firm consistency, the stalk rises vigorously in the air ; 

 yet all seed that is not of purely aquatic plants must 

 have the earth for its nurse, more or less, after it has 

 germinated, which may be efiiected without any exter- 

 nal influences except those of the atmosphere. 



A very light covering of earth, however, is gene- 

 rally sufficient, varying with seasons and the quality 



