32 



PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS. 



I. CUTTINGS. 



When a ligature is bound closely round a branch, the ob- 

 struction which it imposes to the descending juices, causes 

 an enlargement or swollen ring above the ligature, as in 



fig. 5. The same result 

 is produced if a small ring 

 of bark is cut out, as in 

 fig. 6. If a shoot is taken 

 from the tree before the 

 leaves expand, and plung- 

 ed into moist earth till il 

 commences growth, the de- 

 scending current exuding 

 from the lower extremity, 

 forms a callus or ring oi 

 the newly formed wood, 

 as in fig. 7; and under 

 favorable circumstances 

 the granulations forming 

 the callus emit roots into 

 the soil, (fig. 8,) and thus 

 a new plant is formed. 

 Every leaf bud on a fruit tree may be regarded as an em- 

 bryo branch, and capable of forming a tree when supplied 



kills it. "Weeds which spread rapidly by the roots, as the Canada thistle, may be 

 totiilly destroyed in one summer, if constantly kept cut off below the surface. 



For the same reason, trees which become divested of their foliage by lenf-bH^ht 

 while the fruit is partly grown, do not perl'ect the ripening process. An interestin,^ 

 in fiance occurred during the pa-t season : — A plum tree lost all its leaves, when the 

 fruit was about two-thirds grown, aud before it had attained in the slightest rtegree 

 its flavor. The plums remained stationary, densely loading the naked branches, 

 for three Weeks, when a new crop of leaves came cut. The fruit immediately ri'- 

 commenced growing, and subsequently acquired full size, and a fine, rich, honied 

 flavor, about a month later than the usual period of ripening. 



Hence also the reason why the removal of large portions of the foliaofe, to favor 

 liie ripening of grapes and other fruits by admitting the sun, does not alwaj-s effect 

 the intended purpose. 



Another case, illustrating the same principle, was reported by the late President 

 Knight: — '" A peach tree in my garden, of which I was very anxious to see the 

 fruit, had lost by the severity of the weather, all its blossoms except two. which 

 grew upon lenjiess brnnrhes. I therefore endevored to derive the necessary returning 

 sap [to inature the fruit] from another sonrce. To attain this object, the points o( 

 the branches, which bore fruit, Avere l)rought into contact \vith other branches of 

 the same age, which bore leave" ; and a part of the bark, extending in length about 

 four times their diameters, was paired off immediately above the fruit. Similar 

 wounds were then made upon the other branches, with which these were brouglit 

 into contact; the wounded surfaces were closely fitted and tightly bound together 

 A union soon took place, and the fruit, in consequence, acquired the hi^jhest state 

 of maturity and perfection." 



