NOTES FROM EXPERIMENT STATION 183 



Propogation. 



There are several modes of increasing these shrubs. The four 

 summer bloomers can be multiplied by digging a trench, pulling down 

 the limbs and hurrying them six inches deep. Leave the tops out. Cut 

 off the layer and plant it in the fall or early in the spring — it will be 

 well rooted. Most kinds are budded or grafted on the privet. There 

 are two objections to this. You get but one stem and often the borers 

 will get this and it is done for. Again these shrubs are very hardy 

 for the great Northwest, and the privet is very tender, so the bush 

 in a hard winter will have the foundation knocked from under it. Some 

 growers in the Northwest utterly refuse those on privet roots on this 

 account. The difficulty can be obviated by planting very deep, compel- 

 ling the lilac to grow out of roots of its own. The common green ash 

 of the west is hardy enougli and makes an excellent stock on which 

 to bud or graft. In grafting, do as when grafting apples for the nursery, 

 a piece of scion and a piece of root and a lip graft. The root of the 

 common Vulgaria is a hardy stock on which to graft. This has two 

 entirely distinct root systems. The latterals creep out and sprout like 

 the mischief — they are quite pithy, but they are full of vitality and other 

 sorts will grow if grafted on them. But beware what you graft or you 

 will get fearful mixtures. As we have said all the white sorts have light 

 colored buds and you can separate these. The tap roots are safe anyway, 

 for they can't sprout. You can put any kind you please on them. The 

 roots of the Rouen and Persian do well if used for the Vulgaris. The 

 tree lilacs take well on this stock also. They also take well on the 

 latterals of the Vulgaris, but they will come up and rival their neighbor 

 and crowd it out if they can. We often at the end of a year dig up the 

 plant and cut oiT the foreign root. If it has been set deep it will throw 

 out roots of its own. Plant it back and it has its own roots. 



Grafts of Lilacs are extremely variable. Some springs they knit 

 an grow readily. At other times not one in a hundred will take. I 

 note they do best when grafted late and planted immediately. 



Raising from Seeds. 



Some years after bountiful blooming they will bear an enormous 

 crop of seeds. These should be picked as soon os they turn brown. 

 Keep them dry until early spring; put them in moist sand for a time, 

 then plant out in good season. The Japonica is slow about germinating. 

 These are usually started in the green house. These seeds must be 

 watched closely and gathered as they are turning for they will spill 

 out much sooner than other kinds. 



Forcing Lilacs. 



Of late years much attention has been paid to this branch of floricul- 

 ture. By careful preparation the plants are prepared for the green house 

 where they bloom in great profusion an come out early in the season. As 



