October, 1920 



BETTER FRUIT 



7 J 5 



Propagation By Layers 

 The method commonly used in prop- 

 agating dwarf trees is by some form of 

 layerage. A considerable number of 

 attempts were made to induce root 

 formation by air layerage. Earthen 

 pots were split, and in early August 

 were placed in appropriate position on 

 growing shoots and filled with sphag- 

 num moss. They were kept moist by 

 frequent watering. None of these air 

 layers showed root formation. It 

 proved difficult with the rather small 

 pots used to maintain uniform moisture 

 conditions, and this may have had 

 something to do with the failure. 



In the spring of 1917 two-year-old 

 trees growing in the nursery row were 

 cut off three or four inches above the 

 ground and allowed to stool. Later in 

 the summer soil was heaped up around 

 the new shoots to the height of four or 

 five inches. The varieties used were 

 Ben Davis, Bough, Bhode Island Green- 

 ing and Transcendent. None of these 

 shoots have been separated in an at- 

 tempt to establish them as independent 

 trees, but investigation in the spring of 

 1919 showed that most shoots of all 

 these varieties bore small roots, com- 

 ing out near the junction with the cut- 

 off stump. 



Propagation By the Nurse-Root Method 

 It is well known to most nurserymen 

 that root-grafted trees often send out 

 roots from the scion, and may event- 

 ually become established, partially, at 

 least, on their own roots. In an at- 

 tempt to collect information a ques- 

 tionnaire was sent to the leading nur- 

 serymen. About 75 replies were re- 

 ceived, and most of these show care and 

 thought in answering the questions. 

 They were suggestive at the outset of 

 this work, and are interesting to review 

 after eight years' work on the problem. 

 The first question was, "Have you ever 

 observed root-grafted apple trees root- 

 ing from the scion?" Fifty replies say 

 yes, and six reply no. Especially in 

 the Middle West nurserymen regard it 

 as a common or usual thing, while in 

 the East, South and on the Pacific Coast 

 it seems rather less well known. It 

 may be that rooting is more frequent 

 in the rich, loamy soil of the Middle 

 West, or it may be that it is because 

 the practice of root grafting prevails 

 there more than in the eastern and 

 other nursery regions. 



The second question asked, "In what 

 varieties, and in about what proportion 

 of the trees," rooting from the scion 

 had been observed to occur. The gen- 

 eral trend of the replies was that all 

 varieties might do so, Winesap being 

 the only sort mentioned as not rooting. 

 Generally the varieties mentioned were 

 those most extensively grown. Ideas 

 as to proportion of trees rooting were 

 diverse, some saying a small percentage 

 and others nearly all. 



A question as to the most favorable 

 conditions for rooting brought in 

 nearly every case, when a positive re- 

 ply was made, the suggestion of the 

 long-scion, short-root graft; deep 

 planting was often suggested; abundant 

 fertility and plenty of moisture were 

 often mentioned; where soil prefer- 



Own rooted Red Aslrachan two years after euttiug of seedling roots. 



ence was expressed it was for a sandy in the number that form roots from the 



or loamy soil. scion. 



Methods Used Taking up first the varietal differ- 



™. „ . , . . ... ., ences we find that a few varieties root 



The first lot of grafts for the purpose in a j, or near , a] , ca while , 



of securing trees on known roots were one variety of p m alus-Bethel- 



made in 1912, and others were made has failed entirely to yield trees rooted 



?mT g ™ UbSe .T ie , n L y K arS ' » lncl l ldmg from the scion. Inasmuch as this vari- 



1917. The method has been to make an et was n in rather smal , numbers 



ordinary piece roo, whip graft, using and under condit ions where other vari- 



a straight root two to three inches ong, eties gave low percentages of rooting 



and a scion six to eight inches long. treeS( u is probable tbat Bethel would 



The grafts have been made at various under more favorable conditions, give 



times in the late winter and early at least a low percentage of rooted 



spring most of them in February or , rees< Considering the number af vari- 



early March. For the mos part they eties tested u seems safe to that 



have been made by student amateurs, variety of the common le be 



and yet they haye been as well made pr0 p agate d on its own roots by the 



as the average of commercial work. It nurse-root method 



has appeared that there is more de- There are fourteen varieties that have 



pendent on the way the scions were been propagated in considerable nura- 



handled before and after grafting than bers in succe ssive years and under dif- 



in the skill with which the union was ferent conditions, so that we ma feel 



mad . e - . T ?.l eSt th 1 . nece , sslt y f ° r la F.8. e fairly certain that the percentage root- 

 contact of the cambium layers five dif- ing is fair] representative for these 

 ferent methods or degrees of matching vari eties under the general conditions 

 were tested as follows: in which they have n Arranged 



(a) Matched on one side only, not in order of percentage rooting they are 

 at top or bottom. as fo n ows: 



(b) Matched on both sides, not at 



top or bottom. Bough (Sweet) 98 



(c) Matched at top, not at sides or Northern "spy" '.'. '. ...tl 



bottom. Ben Davis 51 



(d) Matched at bottom, not at sides Sn e scende'nt ::::::::::::::: ::: : :::45 



or top. Baldwin 32 



(e) Perfectly matched all around. Orenburg 8 !"! .^""I" 8 .':: "I" 



The variety used was Baldwin. Yellow Transparent! ........... !!!!26 



Where it was desired to avoid match- S! e Kl th5 !i '; «5 



. Hubbardston 21 



ing, the scion or root was cut away, if Jewett 20 



necessary, to make a space of at least Toiman 3 



one milimeter. The grafts were then Coming now to the question of why 



planted and cared for in the usual way. certain of these varieties root better 



* than others we find a rather difficult 



Discussion of the Results problem. We have made few investiga- 



As a major result of the work two lions aimed directly at this question, 



facts are brought out: (1) varieties dif- but some discussions may be ventured, 



fer greatly in their readiness to form The property of rooting is not di- 



roots from the scion when propagated reclly correlated with vigor. Toiman 



by the nurse-root method; (2) there is is fully as strong growing a variety in 



also great variation within the variety Continued on page Si. 



