142 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



surface, and cover the whole several inches deep; and over all a 

 good covering of manure or leaves to keep them from freezing too 

 hard in the spring. They can be planted out in nursery rows or 

 framed. If in frames the rows need not be more than eight or ten 

 inches apart and the cuttings three or four inches apart in the rows. 

 If in nurseries the rows may be three feet apart, if to be worked by 

 horse power, less if otherwise. The soil should be deep and good 

 and if heavy or wet well drained. Plant the cuttings to within one 

 or two eyes of the top, and if the weather is dry they will require 

 watering several times until well rooted. Keep them well cultivated 

 and most of them will be good plants by fall, and at the end of the 

 second year fit to plant permanently. Where the cuttings are 

 heeled in inverted, as I have spoken of, they callous much more 

 quickly and the tops are not so liable to start into growth so quickly 

 as they would otherwise, thus gi^^ng the cutting great advantage 

 over the one which is planted at once in the proper place without 

 this treatment. 



In the growing of soft wood cuttings a greenhouse or frames are 

 necessary. They can be grown in boxes, pots or on a solid bench. 

 I prefer boxes three to four inches deep and well drained ; they are 

 much handier than having the cuttings in the solid bed, as they 

 can be moved to different positions if needed ; also if necessary they 

 can be transferred to frames as soon as rooted in order to harden 

 them up without disturbing them. The soft cuttings will need 

 much more attention and care than the hard ones, but in many 

 cases I think they pay better. 



The time for putting in soft wood cuttings is from the first of 

 June until the last of September, the sooner after the first of June 

 the better, as the weather is not so hot then and the early rooted 

 plants in many cases can be planted out in frames and make good 

 strong plants before frost. Make the cuttings two to three inches 

 long. Lath screens are needed for the outside shade, on inside 

 white cotton cloth. The cuttings should never be allowed to wilt, 

 and when collecting them it is always well to have the watering can 

 with you. Put in cuttings from one to two inches apart, according 

 to their sizes; give a good watering to settle the sand and shade 

 during hot sunshine for the first week or ten days, when you can 

 gradually dispense with the inside shade, but will still need the 



