AMERICAN SYLVICULTURE 



kind by the natural and unaided formation of suckers developing 

 from long horizontal roots. 



C. Layers : A low, long branch of a standing tree is partly 

 buried in a trench one-half foot deep, held in place by hooks, pins or 

 stones, the end of the branch protruding above ground. The branch 

 thus embedded forms roots and shoots. The latter are severed 

 from each other a year or two before planting in the open. 



Layering is a gardener's method only locally used in parks. At 

 high altitudes, under the influence of very great atmospheric 

 moisture, the low Spruce branches form roots and shoots in a simi- 

 lar manner. 



D. Cuttings: Willows and Poplars are usually propagated by 

 " cuttings," viz. by pieces of branches one foot long and two years 

 old, tipped with a piece one year old. The cuttings are inserted 

 obliquely, the tips barely showing above the ground. Planting dag- 

 ger or turning plow are the tools used. Care must be taken to 

 prevent the bark from peeling off. It is claimed that the constant 

 use of cvittings causes a deterioration of growth. Cuttings of 

 sapling size taken from strong and long branches are also planted 

 in good nursery soil for a number of years and planted in the 

 open ground after catching root. Willows and Poplars allow of 

 heavy trimming. Among conifers, only Sequoia permits the use of 

 cuttings. It is claimed that Sequoia-chips sprout successfully in 

 the moist climate of the Coast Range. 



Paiai^raph LXIX. Peda^o^ie of the sprout 

 forests. 



The sprout forest is tended by cleaning, weeding, and thinning; 

 also by improvement cuttings and pruning. 



A. Cleanings: To prevent undesirable shoots from develop- 

 ing, the stumps producing them must be removed. Stumps of un- 

 desirable species (Blackgum, Hazel, Alder) can be removed only by 

 digging, or by heaping dirt upon them, or by firing heaps of debris 

 placed on the stumps. Usually, it is preferable to deaden undesira- 

 ble trees instead of trying to prevent their stumps from forming 

 sprouts. In some species, stumps three feet high will form poor 

 sprouts, a quality which might be taken advantage of. 



B. Weedings: Misshapen trees or poles of a desirable hard- 

 wood species, cut level with the ground, will at once produce shoots 

 of good quality. Poles badly damaged by fires should be cut for an 



176 



