APPLE TREES ON THEIR OWN ROOTS. 97 



Mr. Philips: Do the Tetofsky do it? 



Mr. Nordeen: The Tetofsky will throw out roots, too, but it 

 is harder to get them to throw out roots. 



Mr. Philips: Are those grafts tied or wrapped with wax 

 before you put the paper on? 

 Mr. Nordeen: No, they are just wrapped with paper. 

 Mr. E. H. S. Dartt: I have not a doubt but that a hardy tree 

 on its own roots is better than a tree that is on a seedling root. 

 I have made some cuttings from seedlings and have got some 

 started. Those other trees might have been hardy if the roots 

 had come from the scion, but if we take the root cuttings we are 

 sure we have got it. Those I have are very sure. I think that 

 applies to plums with a greater force than it does to apples. 

 A plum tree on its own roots is liable to throw out sprouts and 

 suckers, and we can get a good lot of trees, whereas, if grafted 

 on the wild root, the ground will become full of worthless 

 sprouts. I am in favor of trees on their own roots if you can 

 get them. 



Mrs. A. A. Kennedy: A while ago I had some trees budded on 

 the Hibernal, and last spring they died from root-killing and 

 weakness. When Mr. Wedge was at my place I pulled one up; 

 it was a budded tree, budded on the Hibernal. We got all the 

 old root system and the entire lower part of the root which had 

 come from the root that had been grafted; those roots were 

 entirely dead without exception, and the only roots sustaining 

 the tree at all were three or four roots from the original graft. 

 The small roots thrown out from the graft were alive and seem- 

 ingly thrifty, but not enough to sustain the tree. These roots 

 were near the surface of the ground, and if the tree had not 

 become weakened by the action of the drouth they would not 

 have suffered so much. It sti'uck me that with the Hibernal 

 family, at least, if it had had a larger root and a year more time 

 it would probably have had strength enough on its own stock 

 to carry the thing through. 



Mr. Pond: How do you get your root cuttings to grow? 



Mr. Dartt: Well, we have an original plum tree to take the 

 roots from, keep them until spring and then set them out. 

 plums and apples both. 



Mr. Kennedy: Would you set them even with the surface of 

 the ground? 



Mr. Dartt: I endeaver to leave mine just a little below the 

 top of the ground. 



