20 Practical Forestry 



insertion of the cuttings, and be sure that the soil is not 

 stiff and water-logged, but fine, rather inclined to sandy, 

 and moderately dry. It should be well forked over and 

 cleaned of weeds, large stones being also removed. 



The cuttings may be made of the present year's growth, 

 with a small portion " heel " it is generally termed of the 

 old wood, and cut clean across beneath where a bud or shoot 

 has protruded. Until a sufficient quantity has been made, 

 they should be stuck loosely in a heap of sand or soil, and in 

 the shade. Cuttings should be taken from the sunny side 

 of a tree or shrub. 



In planting the cuttings, stretch a garden line along 

 the previously prepared ground, and, having removed a 

 trench about 6 in. deep, by cutting in a perpendicular 

 manner with a spade along the front of the line, proceed to 

 place the cuttings not too closely together, and leaning 

 somewhat backwards in the trench cut out. This being 

 done, it is always well, so as to hasten the formation of 

 roots, to sprinkle a small quantity of sand or grit along at 

 the base of the cuttings, at the same time regulating these 

 as to their distances apart and upward inclination, the 

 remaining portion of the trench being filled up with the 

 soil formerly removed. Firm tramping is one of the chief 

 points to be observed, as cuttings will not take at all quickly 

 in loose soil. The line should then be moved forwards 

 about 12 in. and the same method of procedure followed 

 until the whole of the cuttings are inserted. For such 

 shrubs as the common and Portugal laurel, privet, box, 

 euonymus, laurestinus, aucuba, etc., the above method 

 will be found the quickest and best for raising young plants 

 from cuttings. It should be stated that cuttings taken 

 from the sunny side of a tree or shrub always root more 

 freely, arid turn out a greater number of plants, than such 

 as have been cut from the shady side indeed, this point 

 should be carefully borne in mind and acted upon. Conifers, 

 such as the various species of Cupressus, Juniperus, the 

 Wellingtonia, etc., are also readily raised from cuttings 

 inserted in the ground out of doors. It is, however, well to 

 put such cuttings in boxes, so that they have the advantage 



