THE PROPAGATIOX OF PL.\NTS 97 



It is not SO with grafted plants. There are variations even in 

 the Baldwin Apple. Go to our fruit shows and it will be hard to 

 find two dishes of Baldwin Apples that look alike. The fact is the 

 Baldwin Apple has sported and to standardize that or any particular 

 sport it will have to be fixed and the best way to do that is to get 

 it on its own roots. Propagators will use the best form or variety 

 for grafting and still get sports. No reliance can be placed on any 

 as long as mixed seedling Apple stocks are used. Something has 

 been done by root grafting to get Apples on their own roots. It 

 does not appear, however, that this was what the operators had in 

 view, but rather economy in operation. It is a cheap and easy 

 way, but there is a very good chance that cions will get on their 

 own roots when root grafted. 



Division. 



The division method of propagation should be easily compre- 

 hended. It is applied mostly to herbaceous or hardy border 

 plants and some greenhouse plants. It is best done when the plants 

 are at rest. It is also the general practice with Ferns, excepting 

 some Tree Ferns, in which case one must depend on spores which 

 will be described further on. 



Seeds. 



One does not have to look far for evidence of the seed method 

 in the propagation of plants. It is to be seen everywhere. To 

 reproduce itself is the last expiring effort of all plant life when it 

 comes to this. The annual does it in one year, the biennial in two. 

 When an old Black Spruce or Pitch Pine is seen loaded with cones 

 it is getting ready to die. I have known Peach trees make an 

 unusual floral display, set a big crop of fruit, and die before bringing 

 it to maturity. It is often stated that Peach trees are short-lived. 

 The probability is that they had been allowed to carry too much 

 fruit. 



When a cutting, layer, or graft is started the parent is reproduced 

 but when a seed is started a new individual is created. Seedlings 



