Page Twenty 



BETTER FRUIT 



Pointers on Stock Propagation 



By E. J. Watson 



Yakima Washington 



CORRECT propagation of nursery stock obtainable, 

 is of vital importance to, and in 

 reality, the very foundation of the fruit 

 industry, yet how careless many growers are 

 in selecting the stock they buy! One cannot 

 judge the true worth of nursery stock by 

 its appearance, as there are many little 

 details involved in its production which 

 influence the quantity and quality of fruit 

 the trees will produce. 



There is a tremendous significance In 

 blood, both in human beings and in 

 animals. It is truly remarkable what has 

 been accomplished in breeding up live-stock 

 to a state of excellence. Just so it is pos- 

 sible to breed up nursery stock to an equally 

 advanced state. It is .in indisputable fact 

 that too many nurserymen are not modern 

 or up-to-date in methods relating to the 

 propagation of nursery stock. 



The growers are more to blame for ex- 

 isting conditions than the nurserymen, as 

 thev do not demand superior stock and 

 many of them would not pay the difference 

 in price between high grade and inferior 

 stock. 



In the production of high grade nursery 

 stock there are three essentials to be con- 

 sidered. First come the location and 

 climate in which it is raised. I would much 

 prefer home grown stock, but if this is not 



1 would recommend getting 

 stock from a more rigorous climate than 

 our own. 



The second matter of importance is the 

 origin. In propagating nursery stock one 

 must remember that some varieties of trees 

 are susceptible to almost every disease exist- 

 ing while others again are vigorous, hardy 

 and immune from such ailments. As in 

 livestock, so in fruit some crosses will not 

 blend, the offspring being unsightly and 

 tending to degeneracy rather than to 

 Invigoration. 



The root is the primary factor of the 

 tree for the vigor, longevity, productive- 

 ness and quality of fruit depend largely 

 upon it. Man)' nurserymen have in the 

 past resorted to vinegar plants for seed to 

 develop the root. Some have not yet 

 .ibandoned this practice. A parallel case is 

 that of the farmer, who selling his market- 

 able potatoes, plants the culls and expects 

 to obtain good results. This happy-go-lucky 

 method of propagating nursery stock, to- 

 gether with lack of knowledge and care of 

 orchards in the growing stage is responsible 

 for so many failures among growers. The 

 saying that "like begets like" is not only an 

 adage or a proverb; it is a stern reality. 



with deep rich 

 The size of tree 

 of the wood can 

 of the land and 

 nurserymen are 

 impoverished Ian 

 was expected of 



Aipnl, 1922 



soil and good drainage, 

 desired and early maturity 

 be regulated by cultivation 

 proper irrigation. Many 

 tryiiig to raise stock on 

 d, entirely unfit for what 

 it. Here, in order to get 



that the land 



HF. third essentia] 

 -hould he In a high state of cultivation, 



After A Long 

 Cold Winter 



— the hungry gophers are a menace 

 to your trees — Now is the time to 

 get them, before they multiply. 



Lee's Peerless Gopher Killer 



— Is the answer; a small amount on 

 corn-cob, chip or other absorbent ma- 

 terial placed in runs will kill them — ■ 

 TRY IT! 



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