164 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



will be from six to seven inches liigh at the end of the second 

 season. 



At the approach of cold weather a slight covering of leaves 

 between the j'oung plants, and covering the tops with pine bonghs, 

 or coarse meadow ha}^, to keep the sun off, will carry the plants 

 through the winter in safety. The following spring they ma}- be 

 planted in the nurser}-, where they can remain until used. The 

 same treatment will apply to Azaleas, Kalraias, and other Erica- 

 ceous plants, only the Azaleas grow much more rapidly than the 

 others, and at the end of the second season such species as 

 mollis and calendulacea will have quite a number of flower-buds 

 on them, while the Rhododendrons will scarcely show signs of 

 flowering until the fourth or fifth ^-ear. 



Discussion. 



J. H. Bowditch was much pleased with the practical character 

 of the essay, but did not agree with Mr. Dawson in regard to the 

 use of boxes hy the average cultivator, who, the speaker thought, 

 would prefer to plant the seed where the tree was to remain. 



Mr. Dawson said that it would be advisable for amateurs to tr}^ 

 the box plan ; it would be easier than any other wa}', especially 

 for deciduous trees. There is no loss whatever in transplanting 

 from the boxes, while from the nursery a large percentage is lost. 



Mr. Bowditch thought most farmers would rather open a furrow 

 with a plough, and drop half-a-dozen nuts or acorns where they 

 want trees, and then cover with the plough. The work would 

 be done at once, and in the easiest possible way. 



O. B. Hadwen thought Mr. Dawson's paper exceedingly practi- 

 cal. He has not himself given much time to planting forest trees, 

 but has had trees from Mr. Dawson which, though very small when 

 planted, have done well. Planting trees should be encouraged, 

 both for practical use and for ornament. He finds the seeds of all 

 the trees in his grounds, that are large enough to produce seed, 

 springing up around them ; and has seedlings of Nature's planting, 

 of hickories, black walnut, several species of maples, English, 

 Scotch, and American elms, tulip tree, several magnolias, including 

 Soulangeana, pine, larch, and Norwaj' spruce. 



William C. Strong thought Mr. Dawson's paper so complete, 

 and his rules so simple, that no one could err in following his direc- 

 tions. It would be a wQvy valuable guide to young nurserymen. 



