PROPAGATION OF PLANTS 47 



43. Relationship of Cion and Root. Buds or grafts 

 will seldom grow on roots of a very different kind. Apples 

 will grow on pear roots, and pears on apple, but neither 

 will grow on peach roots. Peaches will grow on plum 

 roots. 



44. Effect of Root on Cion. By grafting or budding, 

 a sour apple may be grown on a root that would have 

 produced a sweet apple. Early peaches may be grown 

 on a root that would have grown late peaches. Many argu- 

 ments have been made as to the effect of the root on the 

 fruit. So long as the root is closely related to the cion, 

 it has no appreciable effect on it. Fifty varieties of apples 

 may be grown on the same tree, yet each will come true 

 to its kind. This is what we would expect from the 

 functions of roots. If the root furnishes the proper 

 amount of soluble food from the soil, the top will not be 

 affected. If the root does not furnish enough food, the 

 tree may die or be dwarfed. Dwarf pear trees are secured 

 by budding them on quince roots. Dwarf apple trees are 

 produced by budding on the roots of the Doucin or Para- 

 dise apples, which are dwarfs. 



i 



SEEDS 



45. Nature of Seeds. A seed consists of a young plant, 

 or embryo, with a supply of food either in the embryo 

 or surrounding it, all enclosed in the seed coats. The 

 food is formed by the parent plant, and is stored up in 

 the seed to give the young plant a start in life. Some 

 seeds have a small amount of stored food, while others 

 have enough to keep the young plant growing several 



