110 PRACTICAL PLANT PROPAGATION 



tern is preferred, because it permits of easy transplanting and later 

 the ablity to fertilize the limited area about the plants. Long 

 wiry roots are often the only ones produced when seedling stocks 

 are raised in a heavy soil. A loose, fibrous soil containing leafmold 

 will cause such trees as Hickories, Oaks, English Walnut, and Chest- 

 nut to make fibrous roots. To get a desirable root system Fuller* 

 advises sowing nuts "in shallow pots or boxes, and in nearly pure 

 sand, applying liquid manure as needed, to insure a vigorous 

 growth." 



8. Non-suckering. Suckers are always a nuisance because they 

 must be removed, else they will often outgrow the cion. 



9. Adapted to a wide range of soils. The adaptation of a stock 

 to both sand and clay will go far toward making the success of a 

 variety from the commercial standpoint. 



10. Straight stocks for weepers and standards. For grafting 

 this class of plants, a crooked stock is objectionable. During the 

 Winter or early Spring cut down the plants and encourage one shoot 

 only to grow, cutting out the weaker ones. In growing stocks for 

 weepers the growth of a leader is not stopped, for side shoots are 

 not wanted. Stocks for standards can often be stopped after reach- 

 ing the proper height, or they can be pruned in order to form a head 

 the same season. 



SELECTION OF WOOD FOR GIONS 



The material for making cions should be collected, preferably 

 in Midwinter, and is best stored in moist sand or sawdust and kept 

 cool. The wood may, however, be gathered any time before the 

 buds start in the Spring. For making cions choose the strong, 

 vigorous wood of the previous season's growth which has plump, 

 matured buds on each branch. Water sprouts are not the best 

 sort of wood to use. 



TIME TO GRAFT 



Grafting is usually done when the buds of the stock are begin- 

 ning to swell, which indicates that the sap is now active. As the 

 different trees and shrubs vegetate at various times in the nursery 

 there is a well-planned succession of grafting seasons for the various 

 species of plants. This advice applies also to greenhouse propaga- 

 tion. The roots must be active at the time of grafting although 

 the tops need not necessarily be growing, 



* Fuller, A- S. The Propagation of Plants. 



