THE CULTIVATOR. 
21 
PROPAGATION BY LAYERING. 
This mode of propagating is employed to multiply various kinds of 
plants, and in many species and varieties it presents one of the readiest 
modes of effecting this object. The process consists in burying a part 
of a branch, in the earth, in order to have it strike root, that it may 
then be separated from its parent stock, and ultimately become an in¬ 
dependent plant. The operation may be confined to a single sprout or 
branch, or the entire top, if the size of the plant will admit, may be 
laid; and with a view to produce one or many plants. The prevailing 
nursery practice, upon trees, is, to cut off the main stock at the sur¬ 
face of the ground ; a number of sprouts will spring from the stool, 
and make a strong growth the first season. The spring following, be¬ 
fore the sap flows freely, the ground is well dug about the stool, and 
the sprouts are laid; that is, the shoot, or extremity of the shoot, in¬ 
tended to become a new plant, is half separated from the parent plant, 
at a few inches distance from its extremity, and while this permits the 
ascent of the sap at the season of its rising, the remaining half of the 
stem, being cut through and separated, forms a dam or sluice-to the de¬ 
scending sap, which, thus interrupted in its progress, exudes at the 
wound in the form of a granular protuberance, which throws out roots. 
In plants difficult to take root, the knife may be drawn up an inch from 
the notch, through the pith, separating thus far the two halves.. Make 
then a hole in the dug soil, with a spade or wooden spatula, press down 
gently into it the part notched, three or four inches, fasten it there with 
a forked stick, raise the end of the shoot tp a perpendicular direction, 
and some inches at least above the surface.of the ground, put in the 
earth, and press it gently down. Some layers will become sufficiently 
rooted the first season, others require two^seasons. Plants that strike 
from cuttings, as the willow, grape, currant, gooseberry, &c. if notched 
between the buds, and often without this precaution, and buried, ex¬ 
cept the extreme point, will produce roots at each joint, and a sprout 
from most or all of the buds. 
A common mode of performing the operation, is !o omit the notch in 
the laid branch—but to enter the knife just below a bud, as far as the 
pith, and to make one cut only, by extending the knife an inch upwards 
through the pith, thus cleaving the layer that the parts shall not again 
unite. A little coarse sand, thrown in under the cut part of the layer, 
facilitates its taking root. 
PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS'. 
The currant, gooseberry, grape, mulberry, privet, plane or button 
wood, some kinds of apples, as the codlins and burknots, quince, and 
many ornamental shrubs, are readily propagated by cuttings. So are, 
of border flowers, the dahlia, rocket, cardinal flower, lichness, &c. 
Although some of these cuttings are usually taken off-in autumn, win¬ 
ter or spring, and readily strike, yet there are others, that, according 
to Loudon, ought to be taken from the mother plant when the growth 
is most rapid, or when the cutting most abounds in sap, in order that, 
in returning by the bark, it may form a callous or protruding ring, of 
granular substance, between the bark and wood, whence the roots pro¬ 
ceed. This remark applies principally to green-house plants. As this 
callous, or ring of spongy matter, is generally best formed in ripened 
wood, the cutting, when taken from the mother plant, should contain a 
part of the former year, or in plants which grow twice a year, of the 
wood of the former growth. 
The preparation of the cutting depends on, or is guided by this prin¬ 
ciple, that the power of protruding buds or roots, resides chiefly, and 
in most cases entirely, at what are called joints, or at those parts where 
leaves or buds already exist. Hence it is that cuttings ought always to 
be cut across, with the smoothest and soundest section possible, at an 
eye or joint. And as buds arc in a more advanced state in wood some¬ 
what ripened, or fully formed, than in a state of formation, this sec¬ 
tion ought to be made in the growth of the preceding season, or as it 
were in the point between the two growths. 
Cuttings need not exceed in length six to twelve inches, should ordi¬ 
narily embrace four or more buds, and the terminal buds, being often 
not well matured, may be cut off. But one, or at most two buds, need 
be left above the surface of the soil, and in the grape these may be co¬ 
vered with loose earth. The short jointed wood of the grape is pre¬ 
ferable, as it is more indurated, and contains more concentrated food, 
to produce roots and leaves, than long jointed wood. In the currant and 
gooseberry, if it is desired to grow them on single stems, instead of 
stools, all the buds but two or three at the upper extremity should be 
carefully gouged out with a sharp knife. Cuttings of the grape, cur¬ 
rant, gooseberry, and of most decidious trees and shrubs, may be taken 
from the mother plant any time after the fall of the leaf, and before the 
swelling of the bud in the spring, and may be preserved by being kept 
in a moist cellar, or buried in the earth. In planting, the earth should 
be made perfectly mellow, to enable the young roots to shoot freely. 
The ground should therefore be dug, a narrow trench made to insert 
the cuttings, and the earth pressed well around them after they have 
been put down. 
Large Crops down East .-—The Massachusetts Society have awarded 
premiums to John Smith, William Carter, Henry Sprague and Payton 
Williams ; the first for growing 88 bushels oats on one acre; the second 
for 58 bushels of barley on an acre ; the third for 50& do do.; the fourth 
for 515 bushels potatoes on do. and for 35 bushels spring wheat on an 
acre. The Kennebec Society have awarded two premiums for com 
crops, one amounting to 108, and the the other to 81 bushels per acre. 
Until since the establishment of agricultural societies, our brother Yan¬ 
kees would not believe that such crops could be raised any where. 
THE CULTURE OF FLAX, 
Has very much diminished, with the decrease of household manufac¬ 
ture, since the establishment of cotton mills, until very little is now used 
in the domestic way. In some districts, however, the culture is reviv¬ 
ing, for the supply of linen or cordage manufactories, of which we are 
advised of two in Rensselaer, one in Lewis, and one in Jefferson; and 
also merely for the seed. This seems like killing sheep for their pelts, 
and throwing away the carcass. The fibre of flax is certainly worth 
saving; and with the new facilities of rotting, and machinery for clean¬ 
ing, it is a profitable business, as we intend to show in the sequel. Hav¬ 
ing had questions propounded to us upon this head, by a correspondent 
in Yates, who proposes to go extensively into the flax culture for the 
profit on the seed, we will offer some brief remarks upon its culture, and 
give some illustrations of its being a profitable culture. 
The soil adapted to flax, is that which contains a large portion of ve¬ 
getable matter, of a loamy quality, and withal rather moist, though not 
wet. It is a great exhauster of the soil, if suffered to mature its seed, 
but less so if pulled green. 
The best preparation for flax is a green sward, nicely turned over in 
the fall, or early in the spring, and harrowed till the surface is perfectly 
mellow. 
The quantity of seed will depend upon the objectrof culture. If raised 
for seed only, half a bushel to the acre will suffice; if for the lint only, 
two bushels are sometimes sown; if for both, an intermediate quantity 
will answer best. The less seed, within the limits mentioned, the greater 
will be the product in seed, and less and coarser the product in lint. 
The seed is always sown broadcast, and always covered with the harrow. 
The processes of pulling, threshing, &c. are understood by all. If the 
object is seed, the plants must be mature before they are pulled, which 
is indicated by the hardened state of the seed vessels, theyellow colour 
of the stems, and the falling off of the leaves. When good flax is want¬ 
ed, pull when the seed has its growth, but not maturity. When wanted 
for the finest fabrics, as cambrics, &c. pull when it begins to flower. 
Sow early in May. 
The product varies from 300 pounds to half a ton of dressed flax to 
the acre, and from six to eighteen bushels of seed. 
The profits of the crop may in some measure be judged of from the 
following facts, which we derive from unquestionable authority. 
Mr. T. S. Knapp, of Brownville, sowed thirty-seven acres, partly a 
grass lay, and partly stubble. His profit upon the crop, after deduct¬ 
ing $3 per acre rent, and his labor, was $400, or about $11 per acre. 
In 1835, Geo. Brown, Esq. of the same place, sowed twenty-five acres 
in flax, and realized a nett profit of nearly $500 from the crop. 
In the same year, Maj. Kirby, of the same place, sowed six acres, 
partly upon stubble, and partly upon green sward, with one ploughing 
—half a bushel of seed to the acre. The ground was well stocked with 
Canada thistles, which throve remarkably; yet notwithstanding, the 
six acres produced him 108 bushels 12 pounds seed, and seven tons and 
three-quarters of dressed flax. The proceeds of the crop amounted 
to, ...... $270 
And the culture, pulling and threshing—the rotting being done by 
the manufacturer—to about,...... 70 
Leaving a profit of,... $200 
or 33 i per acre. 
New-Jersey Marl, Peaches, 8,-c .—Marl has been found in great quan¬ 
tities in the lower part of New-Jersey, of a peculiar and highly enrich¬ 
ing quality. A letter to the editor, dated Hights’ Town March 8, says 
—“ I am sorry to inform you, that nearly all our peach buds, are killed 
again, as they were last year. Our region of country supplies gene¬ 
rally the New-York market. It is discouraging—we are going into the 
Mulberry business, our climate and soil being well adapted to the trees. 
Our Squancum marl will afford a communication for the Cultivator in 
a short time. Professor Rogers says it possesses more potash than two 
or three bushels of undrawn ashes. The lands have risen twenty fold 
in that part of the county of Monmouth.” Lands have risen twenty 
fold in consequence of the wonderful provisions which nature has made 
for rendering them fertile, and which man has been too indolent, or too 
unlearned to discover until recently. And nature has been thus bountiful 
every where. Almost every district contains the materials to render 
the soil productive, if we would search them out and apply them. Most 
of our sandy districts are underlaid with clay marl, more or less rich 
