45 



been recently obtained from seed, may be propagated 

 readily by layers either of the summer or older wood, 

 and even from cuttings, without artificial heat ; for 

 such strike root freely. (Knights Papers, 274.) 



The layer, if the branch be not convenient for peg- 

 ging down, may be obtained by cireumposition ; that 

 is, by passing it through the hole in the bottom of a 

 small garden-pot, and filling this with light rich mould. 

 This must be kept constantly moist ; and the pot and 

 branch kept quite steady by tying to a firm stake. 

 In any case the rooting is facilitated by cutting away 

 a circle of bark just below the bud from whence the 

 roots are wished to be emitted, and the branch should 

 be layered at the close of July or very early in Au- 

 gust. 



Grafting, — Although we prefer budding to this 

 mode of increasing the number of any desired variety, 

 yet grafting is sometimes necessary. We shall take 

 advantage of some useful directions relative to the 

 practice from the pen of Mr. D. Cameron, gardener 

 to Sir G. Cockburn, at Highbeach, Essex. The ad- 

 vice he gives concerning the stocks is also judicious 

 and consonant with other directions we shall hereafter 

 offer. He remarks that every gardener must have 

 observed that the vigorous shoot made by the bud the 

 first year, when cut down the second year to within 

 six or eight inches of the stock, receives a severe 

 check, and is very liable to disease. It frequently 



