BUDDING. 65 



seed so that when it grows there will be one plant to every two 

 inches and cover with about one inch of earth, and one inch of leaf 

 mould, or tan bark, or sawdust. Fresh raw manure induces insects, 

 and consequently diseased roots. If the seed is intended for ship 

 ment or keeping over until the spring planting, boxes not over six 

 inches deep should be procured with holes made in the bottom for 

 drainage, and then the seed packed in shallow layers with sand or 

 moss, and placed in the open air on the north side of some building 

 or fence. 



By Grafting. All of the modes described in previous pages are 

 used in propagating the apple. Seedling stocks of diameter at 

 crown of from one quarter to three-eighths inch are the best ; these 

 are generally obtained from seedlings of one year s growth in our 

 rich western soils; they should be dug up, have their side roots 

 trimmed to within one inch of the main root, and that cut off to about 

 eight inches; the graft should then be inserted, in the whip or tongue 

 method, just at the crown or union of top and root. The same 

 course may be adopted with seedlings in the ground, with excep 

 tion of shortening the roots. 



Grafting on small pieces of roots, may answer for the growing 

 of some varieties in the nursery ; but very few, when removed, are 

 found to have made much but small fibrous roots ; and when planted 

 in the orchard, require staking for years, and rarely ever make good 

 trees. The practice has been largely followed, but is now condemned 

 by most nurserymen, and that of grafting only on the whole of a root, 

 as first mentioned, advised. Cleft grafting is generally pursued on 

 trees of large size in the orchard, and may be done in October or 

 November often with as good success as in spring. 



Nurserymen generally practise taking up the seedling trees late in 

 autumn, and heeling them in, as it is termed, viz., covering them, 

 when laid down at an angle of 45, with earth. This is done in the 

 cellar or root house, from whence they are taken and grafted in 

 February and March, and repacked in boxes just deep enough to 

 allow one inch of sand on the bottom ; and the stock grafted just 

 coming level with the tops, sand is mixed intimately among them, 

 covering all of root and union of graft. They are then set away in 

 a cool place, but free from frost, until the day of planting. 



By Budding. This course, from the immense demand for trees 

 and the more ready and extended propagation by means of roots, 

 has almost been discarded during the past six or eight years. Bud 

 ding is now again, however, coming into favor. Stocks for bud 

 ding should be thrifty, of about half inch diameter, and the bud, 

 inserted about four to six inches above the ground, and as much on 

 the north side of the stock as possible. The time when, is usually 



