THE ROOT SYSTEMS OF FRUIT PLANTS 



595 



Table 8. — Cion Roots Produced in Apple under Different Soil Moisture 

 Conditions (After Moore^^^) 



Maynard^"^ mentions the use of short pieces of apple roots as nurse 

 grafts for refractory quince cuttings. "The apple root," he states, 

 "supplies moisture and a little food material until roots are formed on 

 the cion, when it fnils to grow more, and we have the quince on its own 

 root." 



Another method of propagating trees on their own roots is the plant- 

 ing of own rooted trees secured as just described and taking cuttings 

 from the roots they form. This depends on the formation of adven- 

 titious buds on the roots which some species and some varieties accom- 

 plish readily while others apparently do not. 



Finally should be mentioned propagation of fruit trees, especially 

 some of the plums and some varieties of apple, from sprouts arising on 

 the roots. This method is perhaps more common in some sections of 

 Europe than in the United States, partly because the varieties grown lend 

 themselves to this treatment and partly because of the very positive, if 

 somewhat exaggerated, prejudice in the United States against root 

 stocks which sprout freely. 



SOURCES OF NURSERY STOCK 



With certain reservations it may be said that the proximity of the 

 source of nursery stock is unimportant. If the stock is healthy, well 

 developed and well matured, it will grow. Some of the ornamentals, 

 grown from seed, tend to mature earlier if from northern seed than if from 

 southern and there may be temporarily a somewhat readier response to 

 climatic changes in vegetatively propagated plants from one section than 

 from another but, if there is, it quickly disappears and there is little or no 

 evidence that it is of any practical importance. 



It should, however, be reaUzed that different stocks are used in grow- 

 ing certain fruits by nurseries in different parts of the country and that 

 this may be of extreme importance. The northern plum grower, for 



