152 



GRAFTAGE. 



146. Budding 



and grafting 

 on piece-roots. 



The whole question, therefore, is one of comparative 

 length and strength of roots (or stocks). A whole-rooted 

 tree should be stronger and have 

 a more symmetrical root system, 

 at a given age, than a piece- 

 rooted tree. Yet there have been 

 frauds committed in 

 the name of whole- 

 rooted trees. As a 

 matter of fact, there 

 can be no perfectly 

 whole-rooted trees 

 unless the bud or 

 cion is set upon 

 a seedling stock 

 which stands in its 



original position, for some of the main 

 root axis is broken off in the process 

 * of digging. Yet, if stock is well dug, 

 this shortening-in of the tip of the root is so 

 slight as to be practically of no account. 



If the pieces of roots are very short in the 

 making of root-grafts, the graft has too little 

 power to enable it to make a strong growth 

 the first year. It is a very common practice 

 to cut off the entire top of the root-grafted 

 tree at the end of the first year, in order to 

 get a strong and straight body the following 

 year. This practice is perfectly justifiabl e 

 only that the grower counts the age of his 

 tree from the date of the cut-back, and no* 



from the date of the grafting, 

 grafted trees are very likely to 

 make such a short growth the 

 first season that if the terminal 

 bud should be winter-killed, the 

 tree will branch too low, or if a 



Root 



. Root-graft, headed back 



