December 6, 1913 



HORTICULTUBE 



769 



GRAFTING LILACS 



In the issue of Nov. 1st reference was made to graft- 

 ing and budding on the privet. This is a very poor 

 stocl';, and in the Northern States it is worthless. We 

 have had much experience in grafting. The root of the 

 vulgaris takes well. It is not generally known that there 

 are two distinct systems of roots on the common lilac. 

 There are the laterals that sprout like the mischief and 

 spread much like the Canada thistle. Then there are 

 the tap roots which cannot sprout. The laterals are soft 

 and quite pithy. Other kinds grafted on these take 

 well. But you must use great caution or you will have 

 a bad mix-up, for they are bound to sprout. You can 

 graft the white varieties well enough, because you can 

 see from the white color of the bud which is which. I 

 have often grafted the Japan and Chinese tree lilacs on 

 these laterals. They will push out their own roots in 

 two years. Then take them up and cut off all the vul- 

 garis roots and replant and you have them on their own 

 roots. The tap roots have but little pith, and they are 

 much harder than the laterals. Use these for grafting 

 and you are safe, for they cannot sprout. 



There are three kinds of the Rouen lilac — the red, 

 the deep red and the pinkish white. These last are a 

 little tricky. Some years they will bloom pink, and I 

 have seen three twigs on one limb, and two of them had 

 white flowers and one had pink ones. The roots of the 

 Eouen do not sprout and you can readily graft any of 

 the numerous vulgaris family on them. They are hardy 

 and you will have no trouble with their winter killing. 

 You can also graft the Eouen on the vulgaris roots, 

 either the tap roots or laterals. 



For years we have used the western green ash for 

 grafting. Take one-year-old roots that are full of life 

 and sap and graft them just as nurserymen do their 

 apples on one-year apple roots. Use the lip grafting 

 method. They are not always certain, but if you 

 graft late. Just as the buds begin to swell and use care to 

 have scion and stock match and then wax the joint, 

 you are pretty sure of success. As soon as grafted they 

 should be packed in moist sand till planted, which 



should be done as soon as the ground settles. 



The biggest thing in recent years I think is the Chi- 

 nese tree lilac. This is a summer bloomer — always es- 

 caping the frost. It grows much faster than the Jap- 

 anese. It is covered with a great mantle of snowy white 

 blooms that are very fragrant. I think we were the 

 first to introduce them in the West. Fifteen years ago 

 we sent one to the publishers of The Fruit Grower, St. 

 Joseph, Mo., and he reports it eleven inches through, 

 and 25 feet tall. Across the way there are some of the 

 same all growing in grass that are 7 inches through and 

 '^0 feet tall. These trees are destined to be a foot 

 through and 50 feet high and for individual trees on the 

 lawn or for avenues they are without a rival. They en- 

 dure the heat much better than the Japs, for these had 

 their leaves badly sunscorched in August, while the 

 Chinese were fresh and green. 



One of the largest firms in the West sent to me for 

 some buds. I would not send them for there was noth- 

 ing they could bud them on. Think of putting such a 

 tree on a privet, or even a lilac bush ! They are best 

 raised on their own roots or on the green ash. We now 

 save a bushel or two of seeds a year. They grow about a 

 foot the first year from seeds and we have had them 3 t« 

 4 feet in two years. They are quite slender and may 

 need staking for a year or two. I forgot to say when 

 you graft the vulgaris on ash roots they will throw out 

 roots of their own in two years and will then naturally 

 discard their stepmother roots and grow vigorously on 

 their own. A dealer once told me he had purchased a 

 beautiful lot of real purple tree lilacs. I told him 

 there were no such trees. Soon after I visited the firm 

 that furnished them and they were common lilacs 

 budded on the privet and trained to tree form and every 

 one had a borer in it. Borers do not molest either of 

 the tree lilacs. 



YorJc, Neb. 





IDEAL GARDENERS. 



Editor HoRTirii.TUBE: 



The contribution to Horticulture by 

 George P. Stewart, headed "Original 

 Gardeners" bears earmarks which lead 

 me to infer that the author had In 

 mind some recently published remarks 

 attributed to me, when he wrote the 

 article referred to. 



Surely to argue for the betterment 

 or higher attainment of anything from 

 the standpoint of idealism is not an 

 unworthy trait. While I am not cer- 

 tain of a personal acquaintanceship 

 with my critic, I have known of him 

 through his "good works" in horticul- 

 ture for several years, and notwith- 

 standing his expressed opposition to 

 established ideals, I am convinced 

 that he is possessed of many cherished 

 ideas to which he adheres steadfastly. 

 His writing implies it. 



That originality is a precious asset 

 I quite agree. Originality and indi- 

 viduality go hand in hand and those 

 blessed with these qualities have the 

 advantage over the majority of man- 

 kind. As originality, individuality, 

 and ideality are closely affiliated, the 

 cultivation of ideals, to my way of 

 reasoning, is as essential as the culti- 

 vation of flowers in order to gain per- 



fection. Though the perfect gardener 

 is not yet in sight, we have living ex- 

 amples of what he should be — but 

 there is always something new to 

 learn before he will reach perfection. 



That it is necessary for the gardener 

 to be "at the dirtiest end of the job on 

 hand, to gain the confidence and good- 

 will of his assistants" — in this I can- 

 not concur with Mr. Stewart, and I do 

 not believe that he intended to have it 

 read with that understanding; but 

 rather that the true gardener does not 

 regard himself beneath performing 

 any work that he would ask an assis- 

 tant to undertake for him. 



I have never read Carlyle's book on 

 clothes, so I am not familiar with it. 

 That "fine clothes" would furnish the 

 link necessary to create the closer re- 

 lationship which should, but does not 

 now exist, between so many gardeners 

 and their employers was not my con- 

 tention. I realize that "personal ap- 

 pearance" is less sustained by the 

 wearing of good clothes than by the 

 general bearing of their wearer. They 

 who are the most fittingly clothed and 

 who command the respect of all others 

 are those possessed of sufficient 

 strength of character to look all men 

 squarely in the face. My allusion to 



"fine clothes" was simply a reference 

 to an old gardener who would rather 

 plod than manage, probably owing to 

 his having faith in none but himself. 



That there are many wide-awake 

 gardeners is indicated by the more 

 frequent appearance of discussions 

 centering directly on the gardener, 

 which should not be discouraged as it 

 is a sign of progress. The discussions 

 are primarily in the interest of the 

 men who are striving to gain recogni- 

 tion, but who are handicapped by the 

 notion that they are surrounded with 

 unsurmountable obstacles to hinder 

 their advance; and not for those whe 

 have made their mark; and who 

 should participate more freely in the 

 privilege accorded them by the horti- 

 cultural press to expound their accu- 

 mulated knowledge for the benefit of 

 the younger men who have adopted 

 gardening as their profession, and 

 who seek every opportunity to learn 

 from the leaders in it. 



Divided opinions oftentimes bring 

 salient facts to light and occasional 

 spirited controversies may arouse the 

 dormant senses of those who believe 

 that there is no more to the profession 

 of gardening than its mere calling. 

 Madison, N. J. M. C. Bbeu 



