434 TUKEY 



amount for fruitfulness. Pruning a young tree excessively removes the car- 

 bohydrates, prevents accumulation, and tends to keep the tree in the weak, 

 non-fruiting Class II. 



Insect and disease attack and caustic sprays which injure the foliage all 

 likewise tend to reduce the carbohydrate supply and delay fruiting. 



Many mortals have recognized the similarity of all of this to the behavior of 

 animals and have dreamed wistfully, but forlornly, upon some method of 

 rejuvenation, such as Ponce de Leon sought in the Fountain of Youth several 

 centuries ago. 



Propagation and weed control. The propagation of horticultural plants 

 by vegetative means has been greatly improved by research. Studies have 

 shown the differences which exist in plant parts used as cuttings which are 

 taken from plants of varying age and composition. Plants in the so-called 

 "juvenile condition" root more readily than do so-called "adult plants." In 

 the apple, cuttings taken from plants no older than two years from seed may 

 be rooted easily, but with difficulty thereafter. 



Etiolation favors rooting of hard-to-root material; and leaching with water 

 has sometimes favored rooting, as though some inhibiting substance had been 

 removed in the leaching. 



A number of plant regulators, such as indolebutyric acid, have been found 

 helpful in the rooting of cuttings. However, the general effect has been more 

 to speed up the process of rooting than to induce new roots to form. 



Since many horticultural crops require intensive culture with much hand 

 labor for the control of weeds, research on chemical control of weeds has 

 received much attention and with considerable success. Certain oil sprays 

 have proved effective with some crops, and sulfuric acid has proved of value 

 with others. The most spectacular results have followed the use of plant 

 regulators, such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4,5-trichlorophen- 

 oxyacetic acid. These materials have proved selective in action. 2,4-Dichloro- 

 phenoxyacetic acid has proved valuable in controlling broad-leafed weeds 

 in strawberry beds, the strawberry being resistant to the chemical. Isopropyl- 

 phenylcarbamate is helpful for control of chickweed, and EH-1 for pre- 

 emergence treatments. Another interesting possibility is the destruction of 

 strawberry runners by chemical means, thus permitting retention of the 

 old bed for longer periods of high productivity. 



The nature of horticultural research. And finally, a word about the 

 pattern of research. Research is the critical search for knowledge. The word 

 is often used to imply only professional or high-level scientific activity. One 

 sometimes hears the expression ''pure research," as though there were a 

 form of research which is impure. The terms "fundamental" and "basic" are 

 employed often with the connotation of superiority. Yet, fundamental re- 

 search is simply research which is fundamental to something else, as trees 

 are fundamental to lumber and lumber is fundamental to carpentry. What is 



