PLANT PROPAGATION 



43 



Grafting consists in making a twig from one tree grow upon 

 the root or stem of another tree. 



Only those plants which are closely related botanically can be 

 made to grow readily upon another. Apples are grown upon 

 apple stock (Figs. 23 and 24). Apples make a feeble growth 

 upon pear or wild crab, these plants being distantly related to 

 the apple. Except under 

 the most skillful manipula- 

 tion, apples will not grow 

 on trees not closely related, 

 such as the peach, plum, 

 oak, or osage orange. The 

 pear grows best upon pear 

 stock, but will also do well 

 upon quince, a closely related 

 species. Dwarf pear trees 

 are produced by grafting or 

 budding upon quince roots. 

 Apples may be dwarfed by 

 grafting them upon the 

 Paradise apple tree, a nat- 

 ural dwarf which comes 

 from France. Apple and 

 pear trees of any size may 

 be top-grafted in early spring 

 before growth begins (Fig. 

 25). By this means an 

 undesirable variety may be 

 changed to a desirable one. 



Bridge grafting consists 



in bridging over injured places, as in the case of trees that 

 have been girdled. The girdled portion is bridged by using 

 long scions, which are inserted beneath the bark, above and 

 below the wounds. The scions should be two inches apart 

 all around the tree, and all wounds should be sealed with 

 grafting wax. 



FIG. 25. Top grafting 



One branch of the young tree is left, to manu- 

 facture food for the tree while the grafts are 

 getting started. When the new growth is well 

 started, the old branch is removed 



