150 THE NURSERY. [Feb. 
or more cuttings, which should not be shorter than eight inches, nor 
much longer than twelve. Plant them in rows two feet asunder, at 
six or eight inches distance in the row, putting each cutting two- 
thirds of its length into the earth. 
Most kinds which are thus planted now, will be well rooted by 
next October. 
Propagating by Suckers. 
Many kinds of trees and shrubby plants furnish abundance of 
suckers from the roots for propagation, particularly robinia's roses, 
lilacs, syringes, and many other hardy kinds: the suckers may 
now be separated from the parent plants, each with some roots, and 
planted either in nursery rows for a year or two, or the largest, at 
once, where they are to remain. 
Propagating by Layers. 
The latter end of this month, you may make layers of all such 
shrubs and trees as are increased by that method, though the best 
time to do this is between the first of October and end of Novem- 
ber, but, where it was omitted at that pei'iod it may now be done, 
and most kinds will still succeed. 
In making layers of any kinds of trees or shrubs, observe to dig 
round the plant that is to be layed, and as you go on, bring down 
the shoots or branches regulai'ly, and lay them along in the earth, 
with their tops above ground, fastening them securely there with 
hooked pegs, and then let all the young shoots on each branch be 
neatly layed, and cover them five or six inches deep with earth, 
leaving the top of each three or four to five or six inches out of the ■ 
ground. 
It may be of advantage in laying some of the more hard-wooded 
kinds, to gash or slit the layers an inch or better by an upward cut 
on the under side, as intimated in the Nursery, page 58. 
Most kinds of layers which are now layed, will be tolerably well 
rooted and fit to be transplanted by next autumn, some not till 
the second year; but for general instructions, see the Nursery in 
October. 
Transplanting Layers. 
Take off the layers of such hardy shrubs and trees as were layed 
down last year, and which still remain on the stolls. 
Let these layers as soon as they are taken off, be trimmed and 
planted in rows in an open situation, two feet or more asunder, 
according to the size of the plants, and the plants about twelve or 
fifteen inches distant in rows. 
Pruning, Sfc. 
Should the weather permit, you ought towards the latter end of 
the month to dig the ground between the rows of your nursery 
