AND U. S. EXPERIMENT STATION. 17 



CUTTINGS. 



In addition to the above named tree seeds, cuttings of the follow- 

 ing trees and ornamental shrubs were planted: Populus alba argen- 

 tia, Populus nolester, P. pyramidalis, P. pyramidalis suavoleus, P. 

 certineusis, Salix laurifolia, S. fragalis, S. lanceolata, Salix (Russian 

 yellow) Lonicera gracilis, L. rubra grandiflora, L. speciosa, L. elegans, 

 L. vicolor, L. splendius, L. lutea, L. naiia, Tamerix Amurensis, Phila- 

 delphus Gordoniana and P. speciosa. 



The cuttings were received during the winter and were packed in 

 damp sand in a cold cellar. As soon as the frost was out of the ground 

 sufficiently in March, a shallow pit was dug, and the cuttings placed 

 perpendicularly in it, butts* up. They were then covered with three 

 inches of fine soil and two feet of coarse stable litter. As soon as the- 

 days became warm in April, the litter was removed during the day,, 

 permitting the warm sunshine to fall on the cutting bed. Toward 

 night the litter was replaced. The cuttings were kept moist by occa- 

 sional waterings. By May 1st the poplars and willows showed a good 

 callous formation, planting was begun May 4th and was continued till 

 May 9th. The cuttings were carried to the field in water, and the cal- 

 lous and young roots (which were striking before the planting was 

 finished), were thus protected. They were planted in rows that had 

 been subsoiled to a depth of 14 inches. Like the forest tree seedlings, 

 the cuttings suffered great injury from cutworms during May and 

 June. Almost every cutting of poplar and willow (together aggregat- 

 ing over 100,000), started growth. But they were kept completely de- 

 nuded of foliage, save in a very few cases. As will be seen by the ac- 

 companying table of growth, but little more than an inch is recorded 

 for P. certineusis an exceptionally rapid grower up to July 1st. 



The above method of treating cuttings before planting seems to 

 save much -time and puts them in a far better condition for growth as 

 soon as set. The cuttings may be placed in pit in the fall, which is 

 much the best time for making them. It is important that the cut 

 tings remain in the pit until calloused, and I have had the best success* 

 when the cuttings have been left until the roots begin to appear. 

 Some varieties require much more time than others, so that each va- 

 riety should be kept to itself. 



POPLAR GRAFTS. 



During the winter of 1888 a number of cions of Populus bolleana, 

 Populus alba and Populus alba argentia, all Silver-leaved poplars from 

 Russia, were grafted on roots of the cottonwood (Populus monilifera). 

 Of about 100 whip grafts (the method used in root grafting the apple) 



