ently rose, at least through July, but roots
were formed more slowly by the late season cuttings.

_Condition of parent tree:_

Apparently tree vigor as indicated by healthy, dark green foliage, is
more important than vigor as indicated by the length of current season's
growth. In Morgantown this has been one of the driest seasons on record.
Cuttings from trees with pale or brown foliage, or with foliage tending
to be brittle from lack of water soon lost their leaves. Whether this
was caused by the condition of the parent tree or of the individual
cutting is not apparent. It is too early to determine whether or not the
drought will cause a general lowering of rooting percentages this year.

_Root formation:_

Cuttings may or may not callus. Roots seldom if ever spring from the
extreme base of a cutting. Well above the base the stem enlarges, turns
white, cracks, and sends out roots. Often the bottom inch of the cutting
is black and dead, with a healthy and vigorous root system above the
blackened portion.

_Plant bands and pots:_

Plant bands are apparently preferable to small pots. The slope of the
pots tends to pack the soil medium and interfere with aeration. Bands or
pots less than three inches in diameter tends to cramp the rapidly
growing roots.

_Cold room vs. cold frame:_

Last year higher percentages of success were obtained in the cold room
than in the bottom-heated cold frame. This year the cold frame was
definitely superior. Because construction and operation of a suitable
cold room is expensive, we do not plan to continue its use in chestnut
work.

_Fog nozzles:_

In the cold frame, fog nozzles operating during eight hours each day are
apparently more effective than nozzles operating continuously.

_Auxin:_

No success has been attained with indole-butyric acid crystals in a
talc-based powder or with untreated cuttings.

_Formula for preparing auxin:_

The auxin solution is prepared as recommended by G. H. Poesch in the
Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station Bimonthly Bulletin, 191, April,
1938. One gram of indole-butyric acid crystals is dissolved in 125 cc.
of 95% alcohol. Then 125 cc. of distilled water is added. This makes a
stock solution of four thousand parts to a million in strength. The
stock may be cut to the desired strength with distilled water. For late
August cuttings, well-hardened, 80 parts per million is not too strong.
For early June cuttings, forty part