THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



HORTICULTURE. 



JUNE, 1853. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 

 Art. I. Root-grafted versus Stock-grafted Fruit Trees. 



"Will Mr. Hovey," asks our contemporary, Mr. Barry, 

 " be kind enough lo explain to his readers, wherein the supe- 

 riority of budded or stock-grafted trees lies ? " Well, we will. 

 It is a subject upon which we long ago formed an opinion, 

 whether right or wrong ; and though aware that new opin- 

 ions, unless backed up by some experience, are of little 

 weight, we will venture to state our reasons for doubting the 

 value of root-grafted trees. 



Our readers are well a\fare we expressed ourself strongly 

 against root-grafted trees, in our notice of the Western Fruit 

 Growers' Convention, in a former number, (p. 127,) and took 

 that occasion to mention what we had long ago became con- 

 vinced of, that such trees were very unprofitable and compar- 

 atively worthless to the orchardist. Such an opinion has not 

 been hastily formed. We have root-grafted trees ourselves^ 

 (only once, however,) and in the course of twelve years, in 

 making up a collection of every variety of apple in the coun- 

 try, have had root-grafted trees from various cultivators. 

 These have passed yearly, Ave might almost say monthly, 

 under our eye, and have enabled us to form some idea of 

 them, as compared with stock-grafted trees, growing side by 

 side. Our verdict has been, that, though well enough for 

 garden culture, they would never make stout, vigorous and 

 thrifty trees, necessary to form a permanent orchard. 



VOL. XIX. NO. VI. 31 



