330 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the Volga region the cherry is grown in bush form, with several stems like the 

 currant or gooseberry. Experience has also favored the very lorr stems, or 

 even bush form in all the prairie states. Often the stems are fatally injured 

 when the twigs show no discoloration. Fortuntitely, many of the east Europe 

 varieties favor the shading of stems by their pendent habit of growth. 

 But even with these it is best to have low stems, the lower the better. 



YOUNG TREES IN" THE ORCHARD. j^ 



As a rule we find that parties receiving the one-year-old cherry trees sent 

 out from the college for trial, put them m nursery rows with view to setting 

 them in the orchard when they attain the proper size. A little thought will 

 exhibit the fact that it is far better to set them where wanted in orchard. The 

 little trees have all the fibrous roots, and can be rapidly and safely trans- 

 planted. By raising the bark at several points, on the part of the little stem 

 above the point of union with the stock, the emission of roots from the 

 scions is favored, and the height of the stem and the form of top can be 

 established with little trouble. If growing where wanted, specimen fruits 

 can be secured on many sorts on trees which our friends think are about the 

 proper size for transplanting. 



NURSERY PROPAGATION. 



As we are compelled to use tender seedlings for cherry propagation, we 

 are anxious to impress the fact that root grafting the cherry is far better for 

 the planter than propagation by budding. The roots grafts are set down to 

 the top bud of the scion, thus placing the tender root considerably below the 

 surface, and favoring the emission of roots from the scion. When set still 

 deeper in the orchard such trees are not liable to root killing. As root graft- 

 ing the cherry does not seem to be generally practiced, the mode of procedure 

 that has given us an almost perfect stand with forty varieties all on Mazzard 

 root, this season, may be useful. The scions were cut before severe cold 

 weather last fall and packed in dry forest leaves in a box in the cellar. If 

 packed in sand, earth, or moss, we find they absorb too much water. The 

 scion is put in the Mazzard seedling at the crown by the mode known as 

 "side grafting," the main requisite being to make the wedge on the scion 

 only slightly, if at all, thickest on the outside. The usual instruction in 

 regard to making wedge thickest on the outside is overdone. The whole 

 pressure coming on the bark and the cambium layer gives no room for the 

 young cell growth that favors union of stock and graft. We pack the graft, 

 after tying and waxing in earth, sand or moss, taking care to leave the main 

 part of the scion exposed to the cellar air. A dirt-covered cave is best for 

 storing the grafts and it must be kept cold. The temperature is regulated 

 by opening the cave in the early part of the evening, when cold, and keeping 

 it tightly closed during the day. Light freezing does no harm, but if warm 

 enough to start the buds before they go in the nursery they rarely make a 

 profitable stand. Keeping the buds dormant is the main essential to perfect 

 success. With started buds, the change of temperature, and moisture of the 

 earth, when planted out in the early spring, will rot the buds of the scion. 



