220 THE YEAR-BOOK OP AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. W. considers this reclaimed meadow as valuable now as any land appurtenant to hid 

 farm. 



I might specify other experiments that I have witnessed, some of which did not succeed ; 

 probably because the work was not thoroughly done, and the fertilizers applied were not of 

 the right character. 



Interesting Facts in Grafting. 



IN September, 1853, Dr. Maclean grafted a young plant of the white Silesian beet upon a 

 root of red beet, and vice versa. At the time of the experiment, the plants were each about 

 as thick as a straw. A complete junction was effected. There was a slight contraction at 

 the line of junction, much like that formed by " chocking" a rocket-case; above the line of 

 contraction the plant was absolutely white ; below it was absolutely red. Not a trace of 

 blending the two colors could be discovered. By similar experiments on other vegetables 

 and plants, Dr. Maclean had so far assured himself of the perfect independence of scion and 

 stock as to acquire the belief that neither the coloring nor any specific characters of one or 

 the other would or could be altered by their union. The result of the trial wholly con- 

 firmed that view, and demonstrated that the white beet adhered to the red beet by mere 

 junction of cellular matter ; that of the scion and stock holding together in the first instance, 

 and each afterwards produced its own coloring matter in its own new cells as they formed 

 superficially, the red cells adhering to the white cells while in the nascent state, but retaining 

 each the peculiarity belonging to it, without any interchange of contents through the sides 

 of the cells in contact. 



This is entirely consistent with all that has been discovered by the modern physiologists 

 who have applied themselves to a study of the nature of the individual cells of which plants 

 consist. They have clearly shown that each cell has its own special powers of secretion ; as, 

 indeed, may be seen by any one who examines thin sections of variegated leaves or other 

 parts. It will then be seen that some cells are filled with a red coloring matter ; others, with 

 yellow ; others, with green. In other words, one cell has the power of secreting red matter ; 

 another, yellow ; and so on. The colors do not run together, but are contained each within 

 the cell that produces it. Why this is so, no one knows ; all that we are acquainted with is 

 the fact that in the cells of the red beet resides a power of forming red matter, and in those 

 of the white Silesian beet that of forming- yellow; and this peculiarity is not affected by the 

 one growing to the other. Red-forming cells produce their like, and yellow-forming, theirs. 

 Thus the limit between the scion and its stock is unmistakably traceable, and, notwith- 

 standing the combination of the two sorts in one, each perseveringly retains that which is 

 natural to it. What is true of beets is also true of all other plants. Dr. Lindley, Gardeners' 

 Chronicle. 



Improved Method of Graftiny. Mr. L. B. Langworthy, in a communication to the Horticul- 

 turist, alludes to a new process whereby a scion of any kind may be cut from the tree after 

 the buds are fully expanded, but not opened, and grafted the same minute, and which almost 

 invariably succeeds if properly executed. In this process, I prefer the terminal point of a 

 limb for the scion, or any part may be used by cutting the wood close to the upper bud, and 

 dipping it twice, with two or three minutes' interval, into a vial containing a small quantity 

 of collodion, or artificial cuticle, which can be procured of any apothecary. It instantly forms 

 an air-tight coating, both flexible and elastic, and protects it from drying and losing its 

 vitality. There is no time of year after the new buds "are sufficiently formed, and the stock 

 in a growing state, but what grafting by this process may be performed, in which case have 

 but one bud on the scion, and dip the whole wood, except the wedge, in the collodion, to pro- 

 tect it from the drying sun and heat of summer. It sometimes happens that one has a single 

 choice exotic, difficult to procure, that it is important not to fail in grafting, and this method 

 almost infallibly insures success. This process is particularly applicable to the grafting of 

 plums and cherries. 



