STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 71 



one of the best. It received the highest premium at the fair. The 

 tree is green to the very top and not a bud was injured. I have sever- 

 al other varieties, not injured a particle, as well as several Russian va- 

 rieties. We can graft ui»on these young shoots and we will soon have 

 a better orchard than ever. Where my Wealthy trees died I shall 

 graft with varieties that I know will stand, and if my life is spared 

 three years my loss will more than be made good. We need perseve- 

 rence and determination when we fight against the elements. The 

 Almighty has given us a mind that is capable of endless improvement, 

 and we can surmount all these difficulties, but if we submit and be- 

 come discouraged we shall fail. . 



Mr. Kramer recommended growing trees from the roots instead of 

 the ordinary method of grafting. 



Mr. Sias said a very good way to graft trees was by buddins. 



Mr. Kramer. This is not alone for the nurserymen. I have an 

 interest in this myself. I do not see any use in budding or grafting 

 the way they do it. The cion from the tree does not start to grow in 

 that way, it comes from the root. You take the roots and you can 

 grow your trees from them; keep them from freezing in the winter 

 and in the spring they will start out and come right ahead; so that in 

 May you will have a tree that you can set out and will make a good 

 growth the first year. What is the grafting for ? You take the roots 

 from one tree and put another piece of wood on to it; why don't you 

 take the root and set that out? You would not take a part of one 

 child and put it upon another, to make two children. [Laughter.] 



Mr. Harris. One advantage from Mr. Kramer's method of propagat- 

 ing is probably very poorly understood by the mass of people. One 

 difficulty in grafting with cions is caused by an imperfect union which 

 causes injury to the tree. It looks reasonable to conclude that a tree 

 upon its own roots will grow the most natural, and it will undoubtedly 

 grow more rapidly and be longer lived upon its own roots. 



Mr, Sias. If I understand Mr. Kramer's idea, it is to propagate 

 from the roots, which is probably the nearest approach we can get to 

 a seedling; it would naturally be a longer lived tree than a grafted or 

 a budded one. 



Mr. Kramer. If you take these sticks in and keep them through the 

 winter they will naturally heal over; you set them out and the upper 

 end is unhealed. In time the warm weather comes and causes the 

 roots to start. It is the simplest to grow your trees in the way I have 

 stated. 



