CULTIVATION AND PROPAGATION 37 



York, the pine, spruce and hemlock have only a few coarse 

 roots just under the surface and no roots extending two feet 

 deep. ^Mien moved to better-drained soils on the coastal plain, 

 they develop deeper roots and have ten times as many fibers in 

 a ball four feet in diameter. The above evergreens with their 

 shallow root-systems can be taken up with a disc of roots, peat 

 and grass eight inches deep and three to four feet wide. This 

 can be set on a wagon and trees ten to fifteen feet high easily 

 moved. Less roots will be broken or bare if the ball is tied in 

 burlap. The usual cause of failure in this operation is neglect 

 of watering. Hemlocks and probably other trees will be aided 

 by shading for the first two months." 



PROPAGATION OF CONIFEROUS EVERGREENS.— Ahrens 



The conifers are multiplied by three general means, each of 

 which may be discussed briefly: by seeds, by cuttings, by 

 grafts. This account considers good nursery practice in the 

 growing of plants for ornamental planting, and particularly of 

 choice named stock. The growing of forest trees is quite an- 

 other undertaking, on which there is a useful literature; the 

 discussion of that subject is not undertaken in this book. 



Propagation by seed. 



The time of gathering the seed of evergreens is very impor- 

 tant, when the cones begin to open near the tips being the 

 proper time. The seed should be gathered at once, otherwise it 

 will be lost. It should be kept in a cool place until sowing. 

 Seed to be sown out-of-doors should be stored during winter in 

 a cool dry room where the temperature does not fall below 

 36 degrees Fahrenheit. It is advisable to leave the seed in the 

 cones until the weather permits their sowing. They should be 

 sown in beds or frames, the small seed broadcast and large 



