120 Extracts from the Journals. [July, 



variety, as there will many shoots come up from the fragments of 

 roots that are left in the ground, and will be of value to the nur- 

 seryman if he keeps his row filled with the same variety; but if 

 he does not, lie must look to it that he does not in this way get 

 his varieties mixed. 



Trees that are propagated in this way, I think, are of more 

 value than many that are grafted, or budded; for where a graft 

 is set into a seedling stock above the ground, there must be more 

 or less of a defect in the tree, according to the size of the stock 

 into which the m-aft is set — it beino; well known that althousrh a 

 graft will overgrow and heal around the stump, yet the top of the 

 stump never unites to the wood above it. But the layer tree is 

 sound from one end to the other. And I believe it is often the 

 case that a seedling root is not sufficiently vigorous to support as 

 it ought some of the large fast-growing varieties. But the layer 

 tree will have a root of the same kind and in proportion to its 

 stock and top. 



Again, it is believed by many (who for aught I know are good 

 judges in the matter), that grafted fruit will run out, or become 

 so adulterated as not to be known by its original name, after re- 

 peated graftings from one tree to another. This, as I understand 

 it, is because the flavor of the fruit is (although mostly yet) not 

 Avholly given to it by the foliage, but is to some degree affected 

 by the ascending sap sent up from the root. But in trees that are 

 propagated by layering, I see no possibility for the variety of fruit 

 to run out, or become adulterated by propagation. 



I have heard but two objections to trees that are grown from 

 layers. One is that " they are all suckers, and suckers are of no 

 account." But the difference between a layer tree and what is 

 generally termed a sucker, is considerable. Another objection is 

 that some writer has said that layers will make dwarf trees. But 

 the trees will show for themselves that they are not very dwarfish. 



Some nurserymen who have examined my trees and mode of 

 propagating them, are going to commence tree layering with trees 

 that have seedling roots. Such will have trouble from the shoots 

 that will come up from the roots of the trees they bury. When 

 the young trees that have started from the limbs of the tree that 

 is buried, have sent out roots for themselves, there will be so little 

 a return of nourishment from the leaves to the old root, that it 

 will make an effort to sustain itself by sending shoots directly up 

 to the air. If the old root were a graff, these shoots would be 

 welcomed by the nurseryman; for they too would soon send out 

 a set of roots near the top of the ground, and make thrifty trees. 

 But if the old root is a seedling, these shoots must be pulled up; 

 and a thrifty seedling shoot so nearly resembles some of the graft- 

 ed varieties that it is difficult to disting-uish between them. 



