38 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cuttings. I prefer a small flat, 24 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 

 3| inches deep, made of light pine boards. If flats are used they 

 can be removed from the house in the spring when the cuttings 

 are rooted and placed in frames on the ground out of doors where 

 the fresh air and sunHght stimulate a more healthy root action. 



In planting, each cutting is spaced i to ^ inch apart in the row, 

 and space enough left between each row to permit the air and sun- 

 light to penetrate through the foliage down to the surface of the 

 sand for preventing the growth of fungus. A liberal supply of 

 water is given the cuttings when planting in the flat is completed. 

 The water settles the sand firmly around the newly planted cuttings 

 and the flats are then placed on the greenhouse bench. 



Care of the Cuttings while Rooting. Give the cuttings a gentle 

 bottom heat. Loss frequently results from lack of control of the 

 bottom heat with newly planted cuttings. Further watering is 

 not required until the sand in the flats shows dryness. Do not open 

 the ventilators in the house until the cuttings are well rooted. 

 Allow the full sunlight to fall upon the cuttings. Shade from the 

 sun will not be needed until the late spring and early summer. 



The cutting of most conifers will develop a callus before the 

 roots appear. Most of the Arbor Vitaes and Junipers begin the 

 formation of a callus soon after planting, the callus completely 

 covering the cut surface at the bottom of the cutting. Some 

 varieties develop the tender young rootlets as soon as the callus 

 has formed. Other varieties wait for months after callousing 

 before the roots appear. While in some varieties, such as the 

 Juniperus Virginiana forms, which are unusually difficult to propa- 

 gate from cuttings, they will remain in a well calloused condition 

 into the second year before roots are formed. 



Care of the Cuttings when rooted. After the cuttings have com- 

 pleted their rooting, which will be sometime in June, they may 

 safely be given a good supply of fresh air daily and an even coating 

 of whitewash sprayed over the top of the propagating house to 

 prevent any danger of sun scalding the tender young top growth 

 which has developed on the cuttings. 



The flats in which the cuttings are growing can now be removed 

 from the house and placed directly on the ground in a partially 

 shaded frame out of doors. The fresh air and sunlight stimulate 



