172 transactions of the american institute. 



Grafting Grape Vines. 



Mr. S. I\. Duvcn, Woburn, Massaclmsotts, wiuita to know if he can sue* 

 ccssfnllN' graft Delaware scions upon wild vines. The answer is yes, though 

 that variety is a little more diirionlt to grow than some others. 



Mr. Solon Robinson—- A gentleman in Brooklyn set a scion of tlie lona in 

 a -wild vine, and got a growth in one season of over thirty feet. 



Staking Fruit Trees. 



Mr. 11. IT. "Williams. — There is no question in my mind more important 

 than staking fruit trees. I think, from the experience of orchardists in 

 Westchester county, that a tree three years old staked, was equal to one 

 five years old not staked. 



Mr. George Bartlett, who has had a good deal of experience in tree 

 planting, said that he C(juld set trees so firmly by the use of water that 

 they would not require staking " Fill the hole full of water, and then sift 

 in the dirt, and it will form around the tree roots almost as compactly as 

 though cast in molten lead.'' He had often set posts in the saiile way, and 

 found them to stand tirmer than by any other process. It is a great and 

 useless labor to stake trees. 



Mr. John G. Bergen thought that water would not answer upon such 

 loose 6>oil as his upon Long Island, nor was it necessary to stake trees. 



The chairman said that he planted his pear trees last spring upon garden 

 soil, using water for part of them, which were as firm two days after as 

 though they had been set a year. The others were planted without water, 

 and he saw no difference in the growth. None were staked, and he did 

 not see Jjny necessity. 



^Ir. William S. Carpenter thought (hut staking was quite out of data. 

 He had never used stakes; and theie is an orchard of a thousand trees 

 upon a neighboring farm which was not staked, and yet they grew as 

 finely as any orchard that he ever saw. If trees are properly grown 

 in the nursery, there never will be any necessity for staking them. There 

 may be with trees having long, slim bodies, and large tops, if planted 

 without pruning. He would cut away such tops one-third, or perl;aps 

 one-half. 



Mr. Solon Robinson expressed himself very warmly against the plan of 

 staking, on account of its great cost and uselessues. He believed the 

 effect of the wind had a natural tendency to strengthen the roots of 

 the trees. 



Root-Graftinq. 



Mr. Henry Morcy, Babcock Grove, 111., says: "I wish to inquire the 

 reason of y<'ur preference for top grafting trees, as that is one of my 

 exploded hobbies. I have both kinds of the same variety, and can see no 

 difference." 



Jlr. Carpenter said some varieties would not grow if grafted upon the 

 root. Tliis was the case with Newtown pippins. For all his grafting he 

 prefers stocks of natural fruit, which have always produced the best rcsiilta 

 for him. 



