CHAPTER XIII. 
CAKE OF TREES AND SHRUBS 
/CONTRARY to the general idea, trees and shrubs, 
when once set in place, respond to intelligent care. 
While they may live and grow without it, tillage is essen¬ 
tial to the best results. This subject will be briefly treated 
under the headings, Propagation, Transplanting, Prun¬ 
ing, and Care. 
PROPAGATION 
There are many ways of propagating plants. The 
commonest are by seeds, cuttings, layering, and grafting. 
Annual plants are propagated almost wholly by seeds. 
Trees and shrubs may be propagated in the same way. 
The seeds may be planted in the autumn from one to two 
inches apart in rows in any well prepared soil. A sandy 
loam containing much humus is the best. Some seeds do 
not germinate the first year. The young seedings must 
be kept weeded and the soil well tilled. Reproduction by 
means of cuttings is a quicker method for many kinds of 
shrubs, although but few trees readily reproduce in this 
way in our northern climate. 
CUTTINGS 
Soft cuttings of shrubs are best made from new growth 
between first of July and middle of August. Take the ends 
of twigs about four inches long. Make a clean cut on the 
lower end with a clean, sharp knife. Trim off the side 
leaves and if the top ones are large cut off the upper half. 
Fill a gardener’s “flat” or any box about four inches deep, 
with an inch of cinders or small brickbats for drainage 
and then fill the box with clean, sharp mason’s sand. 
Press the sand down and wet it. Set the cuttings in rows 
making the opening with a knife or stick. Put them two 
to three inches deep, and as thick as they will stand. The 
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