388 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



The most satisfactory method of propagating the Chinese 

 varieties in California has been whip-grafting. Seedling 

 jujubes are used for stock-plants. These are easily grown, 

 although the seeds (which are sown in drills in the open ground) 

 are slow to germinate and it takes two years to produce a good 

 plant. At one year of age many of them will be large enough 

 to graft, but it is better to leave them until the second year. 



J. E. Morrow, who has had experience in propagating the 

 jujube at the United States Plant Introduction Field Station 

 at Chico, California, notes that plants grafted in February 

 sometimes grow to a height of three or four feet before the end 

 of the year and mature a few fruits. He says further : 



" The jujube root is one which does not like to be disturbed, and for 

 quick results, and where climatic conditions will permit,, I would ad- 

 vocate field-grafting on two-year-old roots. The cions are inserted 

 close to the root, and covered with soil, which should not, however, 

 be over one inch in depth above the top of the cion, so that when the 

 ground settles after a hard rain the young plant will still be able to 

 force its way through it. 



" The argument in favor of bench-grafting is this : it may be done 

 when the soil is too muddy or cold to permit outside work. The stock- 

 plants are cut off just above the root, or the larger roots themselves 

 are used as stocks. Upon these a cion about four inches long and of the 

 diameter of a lead penicl is whip-grafted, and wrapped with raffia. 

 A wedge-graft may be used if the stock is much larger than the cion. 

 The grafts are then packed in boxes, between layers of moistened cedar 

 or redwood sawdust or ' shingletow.' The box should be kept where 

 temperature remains between 40 and 50. In about a month cal- 

 luses should have formed, and the grafts may be planted in the field. 

 Grafting may be done in California any time in February or March, 

 and the plants should go into the field not later than April 1. Cions 

 may be cut between the first of December and the first of February, 

 and stored until wanted for use." 



The jujube is precocious and prolific in fruiting, and rarely 

 fails to produce a good crop. Meyer observed in China that 

 the plants begin to decline in vigor and productiveness after 

 twenty-five or thirty years, and rarely live more than forty 



