Jan.] the NURSERY. Ql 
principally deciduous, with stems one, two, or three inches thick, 
be cut down near the ground a year or two before to form stools 
to furnish a supply of shoots near the earth, convenient for laying 
therein. The ground must be dug about the shrub or tree that is 
to be layed; and as you go on bring down the branches, and fasten 
them in the ground with hooked pegs, observing to lay down all 
the young wood on each branch into the earth, covering therewith 
the body of each layer three or four inches deep, and fastening 
each also with a peg if necessary, and raise the tops upright out of 
the earth. 
But in laying some hard-wooded trees and shrubs it is necessary 
to slit the layer by making a gash with a knife on the under-side, 
slitting it an inch or more upward, so laying that part in the earth, 
keeping the gash a little open, which will greatly assist the rooting 
by promoting the emission of fibres at the cut part. And this may 
also be performed to the same advantage in the laying of trees and 
shrubs in general. Or you may give the young shoot a t'"ist in 
that part which you intend laying in the earth, by which me^liod it 
will root more freely than if laid down without it. 
Those which are layed in this or next month will be tolerably 
well rooted by next autumn, and may then be separated from the 
tree, and planted in the nursery to get strength. 
Cuttings of many kinds of flowering shrubs and trees may also 
still be planted^ and there are vast numbers of plants that may be 
propagated by this method. There is hardly any tree or shrub but 
what may be increased either by this method, or by layers or 
suckers from the root. 
But the manner of propagating trees or shrubs by cuttings is 
this: the cuttings must be young shoots of the last year's growth, 
which must be cut with a sharp knife from the tree or shrub you 
desire to propagate; they must be from about six or eight to twelve 
or fifteen inches long, according to their strength and manner of 
growth; let them be planted in rows eighteen inches asunder, and 
from five to eight inches distance in the row, and every cutting 
inserted two thirds of its length into the ground. 
Propagate gooseberries and currants by cuttings, as directed in 
October^ and prune such of the old plants as require it, agreeably 
to the directions given in this and that month. 
In open weather, you should, as much as possible, forward the 
digging and trenching vacant compartments of ground, where 
young trees and shrubs are to be planted in this and next month. 
Now prepare some ground where it is not wet, for the reception 
of stones and kernels of hardy fruits, to raise a supply of stocks for 
the purpose of budding and grafting upon. 
These may be sown any time this month, observing to sow them 
in beds four feet wide; cover the stones an inch and a half deep 
with earth, and the kernels half an inch: the plants will appear in 
March, April, and May, when they must be kept clean from weeds, 
and moderate watering in dry weather will be serviceable when 
they arc newly come up. Some of them will be fit for transplant- 
ing in nursery rows next November. 
