t succumb wholly to the
unaccustomed conditions. If well managed they should be injured not at
all.

LAYERS

Several of the perennial herbs, such as sage, savory, and thyme, may be
easily propagated by means of layers, the stems being pegged down and
covered lightly with earth. If the moisture and the temperature be
favorable, roots should be formed in three or four weeks and the stem
separated from the parent and planted. Often there may be several
branches upon the stem, and each of these may be used as a new plantlet
provided it has some roots or a rooted part of the main stem attached to
it. By this method I have obtained nearly 100 rooted plants from a
single specimen of Holt's Mammoth sage grown in a greenhouse. And from
the same plant at the same time I have taken more than 100 cuttings.
This is not an exceptional feat with this variety, the plants of which
are very branchy and often exceed a yard in diameter.

Layering is probably the simplest and most satisfactory method of
artificial propagation under ordinary conditions, since the stems are
almost sure to take root if undisturbed long enough; and since rooted
plants can hardly fail to grow if properly transplanted. Then, too, less
apparent time is taken than with plants grown from cuttings and far less
than with those grown from seed. In other words, they generally produce
a crop sooner than the plants obtained by the other methods set in
operation at the same time.

DIVISION

Division of the clumps of such herbs as mint is often practiced, a sharp
spade or a lawn edger being used to cut the clump into pieces about 6
inches square. The squares are then placed in new quarters and packed
firmly in place with soil. This method is, however, the least
satisfactory of all mentioned, because it too frequently deprives the
plants of a large amount of roots, thus impairs the growth, and during
the first season or two may result in unsymmetrical clumps. If done in
early spring before growth starts, least damage is done to the plants.

[Illustration: Holt's Mammoth and Common Sage About Half Natural Size]

Artificial methods of propagation, especially those of cuttage and
layerage, have the further advantage over propagation by means of seeds,
in the perpetuation of desired characters of individual plants, one or
more of which may appear in any plantation. These, particularly if more
productive than the others, should always be utilized as stock, not
merely