286 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Nov. 



More on Grafts, &e. 



Induced by some remarks in the July number 

 of the (' Farmer," I was led, contrary to my own 

 convictions, to cut from an apple-tree, (on which 

 nearly two dozen young grafts were growing,) 

 all the young shoots from the stumps, or stocks, 

 (on which the grafts were set,) in order, as the 

 writer stated, to give the gral'ts a better opportu- 

 nity to grow. The quantity removed was con- 

 siderable, and immediately all the grafts, except a 

 few that were set on short stumps, (i. e. had 

 branches growing a few inches below them,) ap- 

 peared to suspend all action ; the leaves contract- 

 ed, the ends of many of them died as if scorched 

 by the sun. Al\er remaining in this state two or 

 three weeks, till a new set of young shoots start- 

 ed up, the grafts revived and now appear to be 

 doing tolerably well. Whether this experiment 

 should be considered decisive or not, I will not 

 say. The effect, at any rate, was very marked, 

 and I could assign no other reason for it than the 

 siulden removal of so much of the foliage. 



The explanation of the phenomenon I take to 

 be this : By the removal of the young shoots, 

 liie grti^g v/ere placed in the situation o^ over-fed 

 young animals; or rather, peviiaps, of cvcr4a.d:cd 

 young laborers, or both ; and being unable to 

 perform the task required of them, (viz., that of 

 digestion, assimilation, &c.,) they sunk for a 

 Jiuie under their increased labors, until either the 

 young shoots came again to their assistance, or 

 the parent tree adapted itself to the change. — 

 The tree had quite a full top. 



As my remarks on the subject af Grafts, Pru- 

 ning, &c., are somewhat scattered, I will here 

 repeat the substance of them in few words, for 

 the convenience of those who may wish either to 

 consult them, or to compare them with observa- 

 tions and experiments of their own. 



1. Grafts. — If these have been set on small 

 trees by cutting off the entire head, or on the na- 

 ked branches of a large tree; i. e., at the dis- 

 tance of a foot or more from the body of the tree 

 without any lateral branches below them, I would 

 remove only a part of the young shoots, (those 

 most in the way,) and leave the othe/s to grow. 

 At the season for pruning, i. e., after the tree 

 has done growing for the season, remove the 

 res*. I'rune as close as you please at this time, 

 or before the leaves appear, but cautiously after- 

 wards. Similar remarks apply also to budded 

 stocks. 



2. Pruning. — Trees should be well pruned at 

 the time of transplanting. All broken and shat- 

 tered roots should be pared smoothly off. [ be- 

 lieve the neglect of this is not only one reason 

 why many trees die prematurely, but also why 

 young shoots that spring from the roots of larger 

 trees, commonly called " suckers," are not con- 

 sidered as good stocks for budding and grafting, 

 as seedling stocks. Suckers taken with the 

 roots mangled and torn, seldom thrive. On the 



other hand, if the roots be treated as above di- 

 rected, though barely sufficient to support the 

 tree, even suckers will seldom fail of becoming 

 healthy trees. They require, howevei", more 

 careful management for the first year or two, in 

 the way of watering, judicious pruning, &c. 



In regard to the annual Pruning, I would pre- 

 fer that it be done in the spring, (unless with 

 those trees that bleed profusely at that time,) be- 

 fore the leaves appear ; or in Autumn, (say 

 Aug. or Sept.) when the trees have done, or 

 nearly done, growing for the season. At the 

 same time I would use my knife at limes during 

 the growing season, whenever I saw a special 

 occasion for it ; as in giving a proper shape to 

 the head of the tree, and in removing superflu- 

 ous branches when it could be done with safety.. 

 But whenever pruning is done, let it be done 

 neatly. 



Trees newly transplanted sometimes appear 

 to do well till towards mid-summer, when they 

 show signs of decay. The leaves wither, be- 

 come leathery, die in part, &c. At such times 

 they should have immediate attention. A por- 

 tion of the branches should be cut away to pre- 

 vent too frreat eyapoi-ixtiGr., miu the trees should 

 be freely watered. 



Afier all that can be said on the subject, much 

 must be left to the judgment of those concerned. 

 No set of directions will, I am persuaded, apply 

 to every Ccise. In wet seasons less caution is 

 prehaps necessaiy. In severe drouths gi-eater 

 care will be requisite. Climate, also, may have 

 its influence ; and a system of management ad- 

 apted to our climate, may not be entirely success- 

 ful in another. Even in our own variable climate 

 the same system may not always be equally suc- 

 cessful. Hence the necessity of studying the 

 nature and habits of trees in order to adapt our- 

 selves to circumstances. As a general rule, I 

 would say, ' Use the knife sparingly when the 

 trees are in full growing ;' nor would I cut 

 much late in the fall or during the winter, ex- 

 cept in clipping the ends of branches, where this 

 operation may be necessary. If the trees be 

 stinted in growth, cut more freely, sci'ape, wash, 

 dig, &c., but do not use the knife when the hoe 

 or spade, and the watering-pail, would answer 

 a better purpose. H. 



Fairporf, Aug., 1846. 



Economy in Cooking Cranberries. — To 

 each quart of berries, soon after putting on to 

 cook, add a tea-spoonful of saleratus. This neu- 

 tralizes the acid, and one-fourth the sugar usual- 

 ly used renders thorn more palateable than when 

 cooked in the common way. 



The above from an exchange paper is doubt- 

 less correct, and the same mode will apply to ex- 

 cessively sour apples or other kinds of fruit. — 

 Care should \>e taken, however, not to apply too 

 much saleratus, otherwise the flavor will be de- 

 stroyed. — Ohio Cult. 



