182 ANNUAL EEPORT. 



QUESTION BOX. « 



The following question was then read : 



Has any one in Minnesota been humbugged by Iowa nuserymon? 

 and if so, by what firms ? 



Col. Stevens. Mr. President, I have had a pretty large acquaintance 

 with the nurserymen doing business in Minnesota, perhaps more so 

 than any other man, in consequence of my business connection. I 

 never have heard the first word of complaint in this State of an Iowa 

 nurseryman. 



Mr. Harris. And I believe I can say the same. 



Mr. Gould. The thing seems to be all one way. I would like to 

 know if anyone has heard of any humbug nurserymen in Minnesota. 



Mr. Gaylord. I will say that I think that you have got a good many 

 better men up here than I have got behind me. 



The next question was, How should root grafts be cared for ? 



Mr. Harris. Mr. President, I think the subject is of such importance 

 that we ought to ask some experienced man to write an article upon it. 



Mr. Tuttle was called for. 



Mr. Tuttle. Most anybody can graft a root graft. It is a very easy 

 matter. The parts will very readily grow together. The principal 

 difficulty I have is in preserving grafts in good condition after setting. 

 My practice is to pack them in sawdust. It is important to have the 

 right degree of moisture. I get it as it comes from the saw; if too 

 dry they will come forward too quick. 



In setting, care should be taken to set them so that the lower end 

 will be solid in the ground; when it is loose it will not grow. I have 

 seen grafts set sometimes when I could take hold of the top and shake 

 it. Set in that way there will not one in twenty grow. 



There is one thing that I have observed. We used to use wax in 

 grafting; we finally got to using twine or simple c6tton yarn, waxing 

 it, running the thread through the wax and twisting it on. We prac- 

 ticed that a number of years. Finally, I didn't think there was any 

 benefit in the wax, and since that I have used the simple cotton yarn 

 without any wax, and I never had any grafts grow better; it is all 

 nonsense about wax. 



A Member. About what temperature do you keep the grafts ? 



Mr. Tuttle. Well, about as cool as you can keep them without 

 freezing. 



A Member. About thirty -five or forty degrees ? 



