FOR E S T - T 11 E E S. 



dies of the top appear above the furface ; place the Vv'ouncled 

 part, which ought to be cut very clean and fmooth, downwards, 

 to prevent being injured by the winter rains ; plant them at the 

 fame diftances, Vx'^atering them as the former, keep them dili- 

 gently clear of weeds, frequently flirring and loofening the earth 

 about them, fo as to receive the full benefit of the fummer rains 

 and dews. If the ground is of a good quality, and the feafon 

 favourable, many of them will be fit to lay the follov/ing Odlo- 

 ber ; and fiich flioots as are too weak for laying then, being a- 

 gain cut over, will produce enough to furnilh the ground with 

 a full crop of layers the fucceeding autumn. 



As early in Ocftober as the weather will permit, begin laying 

 your Elms, giving them a gentle watering, which, in dry weather, 

 Hiould be frequently repeated during the fummer months ; the 

 expence whereof will be well repaid by the number of roots and 

 ftrength of your layers. The different methods of perform- 

 ing this operation on ail the trees here treated of, will be 

 defcribed in a chapter by itfelf, to avoid repetitions. 



The following Odlober, if the branches have been fkilfally 

 laid, and the ground managed as diredied, mofl of the layers 

 will be fufiiciently rooted ; when, having prepared a fpot of 

 good mellow ground, as for the ftools, carefully uncover the 

 plants, whofe fibres are at this time extremely tender ; raifethem 

 gently up with the fpade, and with a fliarp knife cut them off at 

 the extremity of their roots, and fuch of them as have not pufli- 

 ed out fibres at the joint where they were laid, but are what the 

 gardeners call chib-rooted^ fhould be thrown ax^-ay, as thefe will 

 never make good plants, or refill the winds : Having feparated 



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