is of a brittle nature or not ; for if it is, it will 

 be necessary that the shoots be pegged gently 

 down to the surface previous to laying, and thus 

 left, until their tops naturally acquire a perpen- 

 dicular direction, which they will do in a few 

 days ; without this precaution it would be ex- 

 tremely difficult to tongue them without crack- 

 ing, 01 breaking them off ; but if treated in this 

 manner, the most brittle may be layed without 

 danger. 



By tonguing, is meant the operation of cutting 

 a small longitudinal scalp about half an inch in 

 length, on the inner side of the heel or bend 

 which is to be inserted into the earth ; about 

 one -third of it should be cut off in a transverse 

 direction ; it being so placed, that the transverse 

 cut may be immediately on or below the joint ; 

 but by no means is the whole of it to be cut 

 away, as practised by some, it being the part 

 which in most instances produces the first fibres. 

 Having the layer thus prepared, the earth must 

 be opened with the hand about three or four 

 inches deep, and in the direction of the shoot, 

 into which opening, it would be adviseable to 

 put a little fresh loam or sand for the immediate 

 reception of the layer ; which should be fixed 



