THE ART OF PROPAGATION. 
67 
By Layering-. — In the case of carnations the soil has 
to be loosened to a depth of 2in. or 3m. around the plant, 
and 2in. or so of a mixture of sand, leaf-mould, and good 
soil placed on top. The next step is to remove the leaves 
from the lower part of each shoot, cut the shoot half-way 
through and then upwards for iin. or so to form a tongue. 
Make a hollow space iin. or so deep in the compost, bend 
the shoot down firmly on the bottom, fix the shoot with 
Fig. 26. SNAPDRAGON ON A WALL. 
Old and bare walls maybe beautified, as in above instance, by planting Snap- 
dragons, Pinks, Aubrietias, Corydalis lutea, etc., in the crevices or joints. 
a layering pin or peg, and cover with soil. Treat each 
shoot thus, and then give a gwd watering now and then 
if the weather be dry. In October the shoot may be 
severed from the parent stem, and either planted or potted, 
and kept in frames till spring. Clematises may be layered 
in a similar way. Hardy shrubs are done in the same 
fashion in summer or early autumn. In their case, how- 
ever, the layered shoots must not be severed till the fol- 
lowing autumn. 
