THE GIANT ARBOR-VIT.E. 349 



plant being placed exactly where the line struck, and the roots 

 spread evenly into the notches on each side. By so doing, the 

 roots are trained from infancy in the positions they should occupy, 

 and, forming a whorl round the base of the stem, they are enabled 

 to collect food from all quarters, and the trees are far less liable to 

 be upset during a gale. 



Propagation of this Thuja is also effected by cuttings, but these 

 seldom form such well-shaped trees as those produced from seed. 

 However, as on many estates seeds are difficult to procure, and 

 young plants have to be raised from cuttings, the following method 

 may be practised with the best success : — 



Early in September take off young shoots of the current season 

 with a small portion of the previous year's wood, and insert these 

 in sandy loam in a border facing north. In choosing the cuttings, 

 those from the south side of the ti'ee where fully exposed to 

 light and air root more freely, and produce better plants, than 

 those from the shady side. Press the soil firmly round the 

 cuttings, and scatter a little sharp sand on the surface, just suffi- 

 cient to hide the soil. Should severe frost set in during the 

 winter, it may be well to make a temporary erection, and cover 

 over with a few old mats, straw, or any other convenient material, 

 which will to some extent ward off the frost, and thus prevent 

 the cuttings being lifted out of the ground. The two special 

 points to be attended to in raising cuttings of this Thuja are to 

 insert them sufficiently early in the season, so that they may get 

 callused before the winter sets in, and to prevent the sun's rays 

 striking them for any length of time until the roots are formed. 

 By the end of the second year the cuttings will be ready for 

 planting into nursery lines, which operation is similar in all 

 i-espects to that recommended for seedlings. Generally speaking, 

 plants raised fi'om cuttings are difficult to get to start away freely, 

 they having an inclination to form a spreading head, which must 

 be connected by pruning at an early stage of their growth. 



Grafting is another method of px'opagating the Giant Thuja, 

 and one that is commonly practised on the Continent ; and it has 

 this advantage, that larger plants are formed in less time than 

 from either cuttings or seeds. The stock used is Thuja occiden- 

 talism a vigorous growing and hardy species, and the operation is 

 performed both in spring and summer, but more satisfactory 

 results have been obtained by grafting in August than at any 

 other time, for the following reasons : — By grafting in August the 



VOL. XII., PART IT. Z 



