608 



FARMERS' Rf:GISTER— QUERIES ON CULTIVATING TOBACCO. 



it up, and remove it from its place, and then insert 

 the other Imrk, whicli contains the eye or branch 

 of llie [letter species. The barks are frently treated, 

 and qualified for uniting with each otiicr, !.y l)iud- 

 injj them witii several rountls of woollen thread, 

 and then the whole is completed. Woollen is pre- 

 ierable to hempen thread, wluch is too inflexHile, 

 and prevents the hark from dilatino; with due fiee- 

 dom. If the inoculation Ije performed in the sum- 

 mer season, when the tree is impregnated with a 

 copious sap, it is customary to cut off the head of 

 the wild stock, f()ur or five fingers above the place 

 of inoculation, that the sap may flow over it, and 

 promote its proper operation : This small remain- 

 der of the wild stock is likewise left above to pre- 

 vent the sap from suffocating the graft. This is 

 denominated shoot-grafting. 



When the inoculation is deferred to the month 

 of August, or the autumnal season, itmay then be 

 improper to accelerate the graft, and therefore, it 

 is permitted to be dormant, or at least to act in a 

 languid manner; in order to effect which the head 

 of the tree is not lopped off till the succeeding 

 spring, when the sap will be renovated, and give 

 indications of life. This practice has the appella- 

 tion of the dormant graft, and the modus operandi 

 is the same as that described above. 



The last 1 shall mention is root-graftings, which 

 is performed by grafting a fine fruitful branch 

 upon a stock of roots, to effect which one of the 

 large roots of a tree is chosen, whose nature cor- 

 responds with that from whence the graft is to be 

 taken. The root is cut into several divisions, in 

 each of which a graft is inserted, agreeably to 

 some of the preceding /(»r?uif/ffl. When a tree 

 happens to be vigorous, you may take from it a 

 root large enough to furnish twenty or thirty 

 stocks; and if the practice of root-grafting were 

 authorized by sufficient experiments, and had been 

 advanced to a certainty of success, we might at 

 once plant a root, ami its graft in the place where 

 the tree itself sliould grow; whereas, in all the 

 former operations, there is generally a long inter- 

 val of time between grafting and transplanting. A 

 tree may likewise be grafted on its stock, in con- 

 formity with some of the methods already repre- 

 sented, and when one of its branches has lieen 

 inserted into its trunk, you may likewise graft one 

 of its shoots upon that branch, and tlie fruit is sup- 

 posed to acquire a finer degree of delicacy, though 

 I am unable to account for the cause. 



It is not sufficient to understand the art of graft- 

 ing, and to be capable of adapting the most proper 

 method to each ])lant. The article of the greatest 

 importance, is to know wliat stock is most agreea- 

 ble to each graft; but the whole may be referred 

 to very simple principles. Pears are grafted either 

 on stocks of their own kind, which are termed 

 free-stocks, or on a quince tree. Those grafts that 

 are intended to be fully exposed to the wind, 

 sliould be inserted into a vigorous stock, which by 

 penetrating very deep info the direct soil, secures 

 its roots from being injured by the drought that 

 reigns about the surface. 



Those shoots that are to be formed into dwarf 

 trees, or espaliers, ought to be grafted on a quince 

 tree, which shoots to a moderate depth of earth, 

 and slides its roots between two strata of soil ; it 

 also deligiits in a cultivated ground, bears in a 

 short space of time, and produces better fruit than 

 a scion grafted on a free stock , unless it be very old. 



Apjiles are grafted on a crab-tree, raised from a 

 slip or kernel, and likewise on a codlin or paradise 

 stock. The crab-tree that has been raised from a 

 kernel, is a slow ])lant, but very vigorous, and it 

 lives f()r a considerable time. It is also employed 

 in the production of standard pear-trees. The 

 paradise stock shoots out but a few roofs and a 

 small quantify of wood; it is soon fruitful, but not 

 of any long duration ; it is likewise formed into 

 dwarf trees, in those places where the view ought 

 not to be intercepted. The codlin tree is a just 

 medium lietween these two, with resjject to its 

 height and duration; but is more proper to be 

 shaped into a fine dwarf tree. Grafted apple trees 

 succeed in soils that are but indifferent, and where 

 the pear tree would languish lor want of humi- 

 dity. 



Cherry trees may be grafted on stocks of the 

 black or wild red cherries. They are commonly 

 inoculated, and before midsummer. 



All kinds of plumbs are propagated either by 

 cleft grafting or inoculation, on wild plumb-stocks 

 raised from siii)s,or the stonesof that fruit. Apri- 

 cots and peaches are inoculated on an almond, 

 plumb tree, and peach tree. The roots of the 

 first, shoot very deep into the earth, but those of 

 the plumb tree never descend much below the sur- 

 face; and they extend in horizontal lines: The 

 grafts thereof are inserted into almond trees, in 

 soils that are naturally dry and parching, and where 

 the roots of the plumb tree would be destroyed by 

 the drought; whereas in moist lands, where the 

 water rises near the surface of the earth, the peach 

 and apricot are generally grafted on a plumb stock, 

 because the roofs of the almond tree would, by 

 shooting to their usual depth, plunge into the water, 

 which wotdd certainly rot them. 



These are the principles of the art of grafting; 

 but the diversify of soils, positions and air, in con- 

 junction with the knowledge and experience of 

 each person may authorize many exceptions in the 

 practical part. As to any other particulars, the 

 generality of these methods are easily put in exe- 

 cution, and their success is almost infallible : But 

 as simple as these several operations may be in 

 themselves, nothing can be more astonishing than 

 the effects they produce, " not that I am for raising 

 a branching head of apples on a plane tree, or 

 causmg a chesnut stock to intermix a vegetation 

 of beech mast, with his own fruit." 



CLAYTON G. COLEMAN. 



Roxhury, New-Kent, Jan. l^th, 1834. 



REMARKS AND QUERIES ON MR. OLD S MODE 

 OF CULTIVATING TOBACCO. 



To the Editor of ilie Farmers' Register. 



fVarren County, (N. C.) Jan. \Qth, 1834. 

 I have recently become a subscriber to the 

 Farmers' Register, and examined the numbers re- 

 ceived — the instructive matter, convenient form, 

 and neat mechanical execution of which, all claim 

 my highest commendation. Indeed, sir, I congra- 

 tulate myself, and the agricultural public on the 

 acquisition of a work conducted by a gentleman, 

 who brings to the discharge of the important duty 

 he has assumed, a mind enlightened by scientific 

 research, and practical experience, and directed by 

 a zealous devotion to the best interests of his 

 patrons. Such a publication, suited to the moral 

 and physical condition of the country, has been 



