APPLES 



131 



the 24-inch scions than with the 6-inch 

 ones. There was no constant difference 

 in growth between the trees grafted 

 above the crown and those grafted be- 

 low it. 



In 1894 the above experiment was re- 

 peated in part with Winesap, Ben Davis, 

 and Missouri Pippin apples, using 6, 12, 

 and 24-inch scions on whole roots and 

 5-inch piece-root stocks grafted above and 

 below the crown. After two years' 

 growth there was no constant difference 

 between the trees grafted above the 

 crown and those grafted below, either 

 as regards height or diameter. The 

 length of the stocks and scions had a 

 marked influence on the growth, the dif- 

 ference in favor of the long stocks and 

 long scions being practically constant in 

 all cases. The height of 2-year-old trees 

 grafted on whole roots average 21 per 

 cent greater than on 5-inch stocks and 

 the diameter over 3 per cent greater. 

 Trees from 24-inch scions averaged 10 per 

 cent higher than from 12-inch scions, and 

 20 per cent higher than those from 6-inch 

 scions. Their diameters were 27 per cent 

 greater than the trees from 12-inch scions 

 and 34 per cent greater than those from 

 6-inch scions. These differences were not 

 nearly so marked after the trees had 

 made three years' growth, the diameter 

 of the trees from 24-inch scions at that 

 time averaging only 6 per cent greater 

 than those from the 12-inch scions and 

 only 7 per cent greater than those from 

 the 6-inch scions as against 27 per cent 

 and 34 per cent, respectively, after two 

 years' growth. 



In 1895 grafts were made with 12 and 

 6-inch scions on whole roots, 5-inch roots, 

 and 2iA-inch roots, grafted above and be- 

 low the crown. In addition a stock 

 grafted above the crown, with roots cut 

 eight inches long, was tested. After two 

 years' growth no constant differences 

 were shown in favor of either length 

 or style of stock or of grafting either 

 above or below the crown. The trees 

 from 12-inch scions were invariably 

 greater in height and diameter than those 

 from 6-inch scions. 



An experiment in root grafting was 

 made by F. Wellhouse, president of the 



Kansas Horticultural Society. About 400 

 trees each of Winesap, Ben Davis, and 

 Missouri Pippin apples, grafted on whole- 

 root stocks, were set in the orchard to- 

 gether with trees grafted on two-inch 

 piece-rqot stocks. During 19 years no dif- 

 ference in growth, vigor, or fruitfulness 

 was observed between them, except that 

 for the first six or eight years the whole- 

 root trees threw up from their roots 

 more water sprouts than did the piece- 

 root trees. 



These tests show that there are fairly 

 uniform differences in the first few years' 

 growth of trees in favor of the longer 

 scions and stocks, but that by the end 

 of the third year's growth the differences 

 largely disappear, and that there is no 

 constant difference between trees grafted 

 above and those grafted below the crown. 



Besides the observations on the height 

 and diameter of trees, the Kansas station 

 has also reported a study of the root de- 

 velopment of grafted trees. It was found 

 that the main root growth of the first 

 year from all lengths of stock was made 

 at or just below the union of the stock 

 and scion, and that the growth at this 

 point became more pronounced in the sec- 

 ond and third years. The growth from 

 the lower portion of the stock was very 

 slight during the first year, and became 

 of even less importance during the second 

 and third years: the growth from the 

 lower part of the stock was greatest 

 in case of the shorter piece roots and 

 least in case of the whole roots. With 

 grafts that were buried deeply a new 

 system of side roots formed at about the 



Fig. 1. Whole Root Graft of Apple. 



