REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST. 



117 



The following method has been adopted here with excellent results: — 

 The cuttings are made in October by selecting side shoots, which are separated 

 from the stem with the "heel" attached. A heel cutting is one provided with the 

 thickened knot or joint found at the base of each branch. The lower branchlets are 

 trimmed off and the cuttings inserted in boxes of sandy soil, which are kept in a 

 cool part of the green-house, where the temperature does not exceed 50 degrees. 

 The soil should be kept uniformly moist. In February they will have calloused, 

 which is the preparatory stage of rooting. They should then be given more heat, 

 when they will root freely and will be ready for setting in nursery rows or potting 

 by the time spring opens. 



During the winter of 1891 twenty varieties of Thuja were propagated in this 

 way. over 40 per cent of the cuttings of each kind rooting. With Betinosporas the 

 returns are much better. 



EXPERIMENTS IN PROPAGATING CHERRIES. 

 Root Grafting. 



A comparative test was made in 1892 with the object of showing the relative 

 success which might be looked for, in grafting Morello cherries upon the common 

 commercial stocks. 



The work of root grafting was performed according to the method outlined 

 in Bulletin No. 17, reasonable precautions being taken to secure a good stand. The 

 grafts were set in nursery rows early in May, 1892, and given clean cultivation. The 

 results are given below : — 



The above results are so poor as to render impossible the profitable propagation 

 of cherries by these methods. It is true, however, that they maybe much below the 

 returns of professional proi:»agators. Mazzard makes much the best showing. Suc- 

 cess varies from year to year, according to the season, the care of the graft exer- 

 cised in carrying out the details connected with the operation of grafting. Much 

 also depends upon the condition of the soil and weather at the time of setting out 

 the grafts. On the whole it is safer for the amateur to crown graft in the spring 

 upon stocks planted the year previous. 



The following results have been obtained in propagating cherries by crown 

 grafting. 



Variety. 



Vladimir 



Lutovka 



Bessarabian 



Shadow Amarelle 



Gruner Glas 



Orel 24 . 



Wragg 



Stock. 



Mahaleb 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 



Per cent 



92 



88 

 95 

 84 

 56 

 61 

 80 



