The rooting by airlayering has been tried in a few cases. Airlayering is the rooting of twigs while they are still attached to the tree. Some distance from the terminal end of the twig an oblique cut is made, or the bark is removed around the twig for about 3/4". The cut or ringed area is treated with a hormone powder, wrapped in sphagnum moss and covered with a wrapping of polyethelene. Attempts to root twigs on older trees by this method have so far failed. Recently successful rooting of twigs on young seedlings by airlayering has been reported from Spain, and from France comes the report that stooling of young seedlings is highly successful. In the stooling method the young plants are cut off a short distance above the ground level. As new shoots grow out, their basal ends are gradually covered with soil until a 5-6" mound has been formed. Left in this manner they may develop their own root system and can eventually be detached from the mother root. That the rooting of young seedling material should be possible, while that from older trees will not root, is not unusual. It is generally accepted that the younger the tree from which the cuttings are taken, the easier the cuttings are to root. Experiments along these lines are planned for 1954. Cooperative Hybrid Chestnut Plantations In last year's report we described our hybrid test plots established in cooperation with the U.S.D.A., Bureau of Plant Industry, Division of Forest Pathology. On March 18, 1953 a new plantation was started at Grafton, West Virginia. As usual, we furnished 50 plants for this test plot. From the reports from Dr. J. D. Diller, of the then Division of Forest Pathology, our hybrids so far have shown a promising performance, although their average growth rate so far is slightly slower than that of the U.S.D.A. hybrids and straight Chinese chestnut. From the standpoint of blight resistance and growth habit they are at least equal to the two other sources and may be slightly better; however, it is still too early to make any definite evaluation of the results. Insect Injuries The most damaging insect pests in the Sleeping Giant Plantation are the spring canker worms, the mites (_Paratetranychus bicolor_), Japanese beetles and the chestnut weevils. A spraying schedule has now been worked out which keeps these pests under control: 1. Dormant spray with "Scalecide" in middle April against the canker worms and mites. 2. Two applications of "Aramite" (6-7 lbs. per acre) in the middle and toward the end of June. These sprayings have given good control against mites. Where the outbreak is very severe it may be necessary to spray with "Aramite" also in July and again in August. 3. Spraying with DDT in middle August and the first week in September has controlled the weevils successfully. In concluding this report we desire to express our thanks to the many interested persons who have contributed pollen, nuts and/or scions to further this project. Dr. W. C. Deming