The Bulletin. 



Volume 27, North Carolina State Board of Agriculture. Number 1, 



Entered at the Raleigh Post-office as second-class mail matter. 



The Bulletin is published monthly by the State Board of Agriculture. 



RALEIGH, JANUARY, 1906. 



PROPAGATION OF NORTH CAROLINA FRUIT PLANTS. 



BY H. HAROLD HUME AND F. C. REIMEK. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The methods by which our common fruit trees, shrubs, or other 

 plants are propagated, should be known to every one who is in any- 

 wise interested in their culture. The methods are not difficult, and 

 with some care, patience and practice may be put into use by almost 

 any one. 



In the following pages the methods commonly used in multiplying 

 the different fruit plants grown -in North Carolina are given. Only 

 those which are believed to be of the most practical use and benefit 

 are described. 



The seedling fruit tree is a thing- of the past. The reason for 

 this lies in the fact that few or none of them are reproduced true to 

 the parent plant by means of seed. This is largely due to the fact that 

 the seed is formed as the result of the union of two parents. One of 

 these is known, the other is not, and in the combination there comes 

 the hereditary influence of a long chain of ancestors, all of which 

 are probably unknown and the majority of which were inferior in 

 size, quality and flavor of fruit. The only means by which we can 

 be certain of getting what we plant is to set out plants in our gar- 

 dens, orchards or plantations which have been propagared by cuttings, 

 runners, layers, grafts or buds. 



Every fruit grower should know the fundamental principles and 

 practices which underlie the propagation of plants. He is then in a 

 position to do propagation work for himself. This knowledge is fre- 

 quently valuable. He may have a particularly desirable variety of 

 fruit or a specimen of some one variety which has desirable charac- 

 teristics above other trees of the same kind. He can propagate from 

 that single specimen, thereby securing trees more desirable in every 

 way and making his garden or orchard more remunerative and 

 valuable. 



