CHAPTER II
 

                            Propagation.



The raising  of  new stocks of trees and shrubs in private gardens  is a

much  neglected branch  of  horticulture.  In  many places it is never

attempted unless it  be in the case of shrubs  that  can be increased by

division, or the pulling to pieces  of  old  stock.  Yet  there is no more

interesting work.

   There are really three methods by which  trees and  shrubs  may be

increased : i, by seeds, which is  Nature's way; 2, by taking away part of

a plant and  enabling  it  to exist separately,  i.e., by division, layers, and

cuttings of either stem or root; 3, by taking part of one plant and joining

it to another  already possessing a root system  of its own, i.e., by grafting

or budding.

   The raising  of new healthy trees  is undoubtedly  best  accomplished

with but few  exceptions by means of seeds, and especially is this the  case

for conifers, timber trees, and  long-lived trees generally.  For shrubs that

have a low-branching  system and  renew themselves continually by  new

basal growth, cuttings  and layers  in  most instances  are quite as good.

Seeds cannot be relied on to perpetuate varieties that have originated from

branch sports, such as those with coloured or  abnormally shaped leaves;

and only partially can they be relied  on to reproduce aberrant forms of

seedling origin  like fastigiate  or weeping trees,  dwarfs, and  such  like.

Seeds  from  such trees usually reproduce few or  perhaps  none of the

abnormal form  that bore them, the majority reverting wholly or in  part

to the  normal  type.  Thus  very few  weeping or  fastigiate varieties of

trees are found  in Nature.   Excepting  those like  Lombardy poplars and

willows,  which  may increase by  pieces of branch broken off by wind,

etc., and take root on the ground, they exist only as individuals. Civilised

man propagates them artificially  for his use  and pleasure, otherwise they

would disappear.  On the whole, if fine, clean-grown,  healthy, long-lived

trees are desired they should  be raised from seed.  Still, there are other

factors to be considered.   Many foreign trees do not bear seed in  this

country  until they  are  old,  often  not then,  so other  means must be

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