50 Root Grafting, 6^c. 



grafted between the 6th and 9th of March, near one month 

 too late for this chmate, hut I could not get the grafts in time. 

 I was induced to try it, having been told by a youth that his 

 father succeeded well in grafting the peach, by using the 

 terminal ends of branches, and whip grafting. I did not graft 

 thus, but pared the graft as for whip grafting, and then split 

 the bark of the stock, and inserted the graft. 



Root grafting the peach will be regarded, in this country, 

 as something new ; with your experienced countrymen it may 

 not, but it has advantages over all other modes. I received the 

 hint from a friend near Mississippi city, who informed me 

 that a neighbor of his, who was a very expert budder, and who 

 budded for any that required, would not work his own trees, 

 and gave, as his reason, that he intended to root graft, that it 

 was more certain, and made handsomer trees. Previous to 

 this, I Avas shown a lot of trees that were root grafted in 

 Hatch's nursery, but the information was vague ; since that 

 time, the gardener who worked the trees has returned, and says 

 they were worked on refuse roots, that were left after remov- 

 ing trees, and that he uses any part of the branches, just as 

 in any other grafting, and that he gave the hint to a gentle- 

 man who was either living, or was moving below, but is not 

 certain that the above gentleman is the one. Mr. Patrick 

 O'Connor, gardener at Hatch's nursery, has assuredly very 

 successfully root grafted the peach, and they are five to eight 

 or ten feet high — maiden trees. 



He also root grafts the rose, and upon removal, the junction 

 is complete, and the wound will not be observable in another 

 twelve months. These trees and roses are, if any thing, 

 larger than I desire to remove. The advantages are, that, in 

 the month of February, when but little out-door work can be 

 advantageously done, the peach can be grafted ; the trees will 

 be saleable in November to any one, whereas my budded trees 

 of, say 10th of June, are not large enough to please one in 

 fifty, yet they are, in some instances, as large as those you 

 sent me ; and there is not such necessity for peach pits, and 

 so long culture. So far as I know, or can learn, Mr. O'Con- 

 nor deserves the credit, for he has actually the trees to show. 

 As to grafting the pear on the apple stock, I recommend it 

 to nurserymen, who desire wood, on the same principle as 



