INDOOR SPRING CUTTINGS. 11 



feet, and then fill in the remainder of the soil, leaving only enough 

 of the cutting exposed to view to keep the top bud from being cov- 

 ered. Where there is danger of hard freezing weather after fall 

 planting, cover the surface with rough stable litter, this covering to 

 be removed before the buds begin to swell during the latter part of 

 March. 



The rows of cuttings can be arranged in beds of any convenient 

 width, leaving spaces between the beds which will facilitate covering, 

 watering, hand weeding, and cultivating. During the summer the 

 plants should be gone over several times and all superfluous shoots 

 removed, leaving only one shoot to each plant. If large enough, the 

 rooted cuttings should be removed to nursery rows the following fall. 

 In no case should the plants be removed from the cutting beds to per- 

 manent locations. If the plants make sufficient growth the first sea- 

 son, they should be severely cut back; otherwise, the operation should 

 be deferred until the following season. 



The length of stem to remain as the future trunk must be regulated 

 according to whether a dwarf or tall specimen is wanted. It must 

 be taken into consideration that the leaves are much more easily gath- 

 ered from dwarf trees than from tall ones; in fact, they are more 

 easily managed not only so far as leaf gathering is concerned, but 

 also in pruning and in keeping noxious insects and fungous diseases 

 under control. The leaves on a tall tree are not all developed alike; 

 those on the side fully exposed to the sun will naturally be in a per- 

 fect condition, while on the opposite side they are softer and probably 

 not so well adapted to the purpose for which they are intended. 

 Medium-sized trees are therefore preferable for all purposes. 



IXDOOR SPRING CUTTINGS. . • 



Another method of propagation from cuttings, and a very success- 

 ful one, consists in selecting medium-sized shoots about the beginning 

 of Xovember. These, before being made into cuttings, are sorted into 

 bundles of different lengths, tied, and heeled in ashes or sand, or in a 

 mixture of both, and protected by a frame having a northern expo- 

 sure. During the winter they are taken out and cut into lengths of 

 about 5 inches. These are tied in bundles and buried in moist sand 

 or moss. In early spring they are untied and inserted quite thickly 

 in the sand of a propagating bed having a mild bottom heat, where 

 they will root rapidly. TVTien such a bed is lacking, wooden flats 

 about 4 inches deep may be used for the reception of the cuttings, 

 but they must have the protection of a frame with slight bottom heat 

 and be covered with sash. If a little loamy soil is placed in the 

 bottom of the flats and the remaining space filled with sand, the 

 cuttings will remain in good condition for a considerable time after 



119 



