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BETTER FRUIT 



Matching cambium in root grafts: (a) One side only; (b) Both sides only; (c) Top only; 

 (d) Bottom only; (e) Perfectly matched. 



set forth some of the results obtained 

 in propagating trees on the roots of 

 known varieties. 



The first step in securing trees on 

 known roots is to induce the formation 

 of roots from the stem of the chosen 

 variety. The methods most used in 

 practice are by cuttings and by layers. 

 It is known that apple wood roots from 

 cuttings with the greatest difficulty, and 

 that only certain varieties root readily 

 by the somewhat slow and cumbersome 

 method of layers. The method of grow- 

 ing trees on Northern Spy roots to se- 

 cure resistance to the woolly aphis may 

 be termed the nurse-root method. In 

 this method a rather long scion is 

 grafted by any appropriate method on 

 a short piece of seedling root, and 

 planted out in the usual way. Roots 

 arise from the Spy scion, and the seed- 

 ling nurse root may be removed, leav- 

 ing the tree on its own roots. 

 Propagation By Cuttings 



There are few published records of 

 attempts to propagate apple trees by 

 cuttings. Doubtless many have been 

 made and not reported, for the uniform 

 results on record may be described in 

 the single word— failure. Professor F. 

 K. Luke attempted to root apple cut- 

 tings of various sizes and lengths at 

 cutting bed temperatures of 64° and 

 67°. All failed to strike root. Luke 

 was able to induce root cuttings to 

 grow with fairly good success. 



Attempts to root apple cuttings were 

 made during the summer of 1912. Green 

 wood cuttings three to four inches long 

 were made in early August and Sep- 

 tember, and set in sand in the green- 

 house. Powdered charcoal was also 

 used as a propagating medium, both 

 alone and as a one-half inch layer over 

 sand, with the hope that it might check 

 disease. Bottom heat in varying de- 

 grees was used in some cases, also an 

 enclosed propagating frame. In short, 

 an effort was made to provide the best 



possible conditions for cuttings. Some- 

 thing over a thousand cuttings of sev- 

 eral different varieties were made. The 

 results were much the same in all cases. 

 The cuttings formed a callus, varying 

 somewhat with the variety, and the 

 buds started out until the leaves were 

 about one-fourth inch long. This occu- 

 pied about two weeks, after which 

 growth ceased. The final result was the 

 same in practically all cases. Of the 

 1,000 or more cuttings only a single one 

 of the Fall Pippin variety rooted, and 

 that only a single short shoot that was 

 broken off in removing from the sand, 

 so that it failed to grow. 



In spite of these failures it is the 

 opinion of the writer that it is possible 



October, 1920 



to grow apple trees from cuttings. To 

 an inquiry addressed to many of the 

 leading nurserymen of the country, 

 thirty-five replied that they had never 

 seen cuttings or prunings from the trees 

 taking root, while seventeen professed 

 to have observed such an occurrence, 

 though none of them considered it at all 

 common. One nurseryman reported 

 having planted well-callused scions in 

 a mixture of sand and soil, and that 

 "the best stand we ever had was some- 

 thing less than 10 per cent of the cut- 

 tings planted." The trees were weak 

 for a year or two. The late T. V. Mun- 

 son of Denison, Texas, says: "I have 

 often had apple and even peach 

 switches cut from the trees in Febru- 

 ary and stuck into the ground (very 

 sandy) for label sticks, take root and 

 grow off well." 



In the spring of 1913 a considerable 

 number of root cuttings from young 

 trees were planted in the nursery row. 

 No record was kept of them, but they 

 made a good stand though growth was 

 very slow the first season. It is the 

 practice of at least one nursery firm to 

 dig trees already established on their 

 own roots once in two years and cut 

 off the roots for propagation by root 

 cuttings. The trees are then replanted 

 and a new crop of roots grown. 



In a later experience of the writer, 

 root cuttings from the root system of 

 bearing trees were used in an attempt 

 to propagate the stock variety. This 

 resulted in almost a complete failure. 

 The roots used were from one-quarter 

 to one-half inch in diameter, and when 

 planted in the open, about three inches 

 long. Others planted in the greenhouse 

 were about one and one-half inches 

 long. Whether older roots propagate 

 with greater difficulty, or whether some 

 unfavorable conditions not readily 

 seen interfered with success, cannot be 

 told with certainty. 



Trees rooted from the seedling scion after cutting off seedling nurse roots; two-year-old trees cut 

 back in spring of second year. Tolman at left, Bough at right, showing stronger roots of latter. 



