OF FOREST-TREES. 



59 



so tall as cattle may not reach them ; if harder, those which are young, cHAP. 

 small, and more tender ; and if such as produce a knur, or hurry swelling, 

 set that part into the ground, and be sure to make the hole so wide, and 

 point the end of your cutting so smooth, as that, in setting, it violate 

 and strip none of the bark ; the other extreme may be slanted, and so 

 treading the earth close, and keeping it moist, you will seldom fail of 

 success. By the roots also of a thriving, lusty, and sappy tree, more may 



planted out on their own estates. And when this is the case, two quarters of sufficient 

 size should be planted for stools, which coming in alternately, there will be an annual crop 

 of layers for the purpose wanted. As soon as the layers are taken off, all scraggy parts 

 should be cut off from the stools ; the heads should be refreshed with the knife ; and two 

 years aftei", each stool will afford you a sufficient quantity of branches to be layered afresh ; 

 during which time the ground should be dug between the stools every winter; and in 

 spring and summer the weeds should be hoed and cleared off, as often as they make their 

 appearance. Trees of much larger growth than two or three years may be splashed, 

 brought down, and layered in this manner ; and when they are grown too large for splash- 

 ing, or the nature of the wood will not bear such an operation, they may be thrown on 

 their sides. In order to effect this, the mould must be cleared away from the roots, on 

 the side you intend the head to be brought down ; and on this side a sufficient number of 

 the roots must be cut, that the tree may be brought to the ground, leaving proper roots to 

 continue it in a growing state ; but for this very few will be sufficient. When the tree is 

 brought down, all the young branches are to be layered in the former manner; and the 

 year following, after they are taken off, the tree may be set upright again, cutting off all 

 scraggy parts, side-branches that had been beat down, &c. and if you put fresh mould to 

 the roots, it will put out as fresh as ever, and may, if you please, afterwards undergo a 

 second operation in the like manner. If Magnolias, or large leafy Evergreens, are layered 

 in this manner, and the place is not well defended, it will be highly proper to make a 

 stake-hedge of good height, at a small distance ; otherwise the high winds having power 

 on their large leaves, will frequently break them off before they have taken root. Layers 

 may be procured from trees of any size, by building scaffolding of proper height, to support 

 tubs or pots filled with good earth, in which to layer the young branches : but this method 

 is never practised unless on some very scarce tree, which is desired to be continued in its 

 upright state, in as much beauty as possi ble. Neither, indeed, does it deserve to be 

 adopted, unless on some such extraordinary occasions, not only on account of the expense 

 of building the scaffolding, but of the constant trouble there will be in keeping the mould 

 in the pots of a due moisture ; for being elevated in that manner above the ground, it will 

 dry very fast ; and if it be not constantly watered, there will be little hope of your layers 

 striking root in any reasonable time. — Layering may be performed different ways ; and 

 trees of different texture are with different degrees of difficulty made to strike root. It is 

 chiefly the young shoots of the preceding summer that the op eration should be performed 



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