well to clone trees you have to cut off a few inches off the branch of a tree that is healthy and has good form.You would cut on a 45 degree angle and then dip the tips in root tone hormone powder.You can find root tone at Lowes. After that, you put the cutting in a bucket filled with warm wet sand placing them straight up with cut end sticking in the sand. You can then put some plastic wrap over the bucket to increase the humidity.Place the bucket in a location out of direct sunlight.Leave the cutting in their for a couple of weeks. After that, you should pot them up and gradually introduce them to more sunlight. Always make sure that the soil never dries out. There are some cloning videos on youtube if you want some more information.

You can't simply cut at any old time and dip in hormone and have a cutting that will make it. Don't know off the top of my head, but surely The Google has something under the Latin name + propagation.

Dan

Yea like Dan said now is not the time to do this. It would have to be done in late spring/summer.

First things first. Leyland Cypress. I left the 'y' out earlier.

Et al,
Great info! No rush since it'll be years before they'll reach a height that provides privacy. I wonder - if I use some of my wife's old grow lamps - they would grow indoors while properly attended to. Guess it won't cost me much to try. I do have some root hormone and it's inexpensive enough to try a little indoor project with hopes of replanting in spring. If they make it till then and die, I would only be starting over about the same time I should have waited for anyway. And then I'll have some form of experience.
All that remains is to learn if an established baby tree will grow when planted near\within the current row of trees...??
I'll check out the YouTube as well. Thanks!!

Now's a great time to pick up 1 gallon evergreens like leyland cypress at just about any garden center for under $10 a piece.

To answer your question as to what is it, post a picture. Without that all we can do is guess. I would guess maybe alaska cypress.

While we're on the subject of planting a privacy screen, it really is a better practice to mix up the planting rather than plant a solid row of any one thing.
It's a lot cheaper too because you'll need fewer trees overall.

I have a spoonful of Hinoki Cypress seeds if you'd like to plant any of them for a screen. The parent trees have a ragged conical shape about 18-25' high with vertical sprays of dark green foliage. They tend to be a tad more open than Leylands. Foliage texture is similar to Leylands. They should grow bigger where you are. Send me an email.