-.>.-■,. TV „^,. 



40 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



very fine would sometimes succeed, He 

 had seldom failed to secure a perfect union of 

 the stalk and graft when a portion of the 

 two year's old wood was employed. 



Dr. Long desired to know how grafts in- 

 tended for distant places should be packed 

 to prevent their shrivelling or becoming 

 dry. 



Mr. Hull — First cut into conveniea 

 lengths, immerse the cuttings in a thin solu- 

 tion of gum shellac dissolved in alchohol; 

 then carefully wrap each scion in cotton to 

 protect it from bruising; it may then be sent 

 to any part of the country in good condition. 



C. R. Overman had pracUsed covering 

 the grafts with warm wax. His grafts us- 

 ually arrived in good order. 



Mr. Dunlap, by request went into a minute 

 practical description of a process of root 

 grafting the peach, which so far as tried, he 

 had found to be quite successful. He uses 

 firm and well matured shoots, cuts them into 

 couvcnient lengths, with two or three wood 

 buds to each; he ihen selects one year old 

 peach roots of convenient length to trans- 

 plant woll. These pieces of roots p.re split 

 from the side nearly through, so as to leave 

 the bark entire on the opposite side. Hav- 

 ing cut the graft wedging both ways, it is 

 laid into the root and firmly bound, waxed, 

 and the treatment the same as for root graft- 

 ed apple trees. He believes that this kind 

 of grafting will, when better understood, be 

 practised in the propagation of peach trees. 



The best method of preserving soions was 

 also discussed. C. ^. Overman said that he 

 had tried all the methods that he had heard 

 or read of, and had met with partial success 

 in all. They must be kept fresh to succeed 

 well. The best plan, so far as he had tried, 

 was to cut the scions as early as admissable 

 in the fall, then dig a hole in the ground, 

 selecting a dry spot, in this place a box in 

 which to put the scions, covering first with 

 straw and then with earth. Another method 

 was to box up wiih sawdust, nearly dry, and 

 keep in cool cellar. For grafting- prefers 

 roots of one year's growth. Has grafted 

 peaches and nectarines on roots, but did not 

 succeed well. Used the roots of one year's 



growth. Has had poor success in grafting 

 pears on their roots. The roots of one year 

 old Virginia Thorn, he had found to do well 

 for dwarfing the pear. 



Dr. Haskell cut scions with the leaves on, 

 and keeps them well by closely packing 

 thera in bulk. Has cut the scions at all 

 times of the winter. If frozen thaws them 

 out carefully. Thinks the graftsfrom frozen 

 scions do not do well. 



L, Ellsworth was next called upon. 

 Keeps his scions in a cellar by planting the 

 butts in saw-dust; do well if kept cool; best 

 time to cut was just as the leaves were 

 dropping; has cut at all times; if frozen 

 must be thawed before using, the frost must 

 be taken out by placing the scions in cool 

 water or burying in the earth. 



0. B. Galusha had tried different methods; 

 now uses a box, closely packing them until 

 nearly full; puts then a few strips to secure 

 them firmly in their place; then having dug 

 a hole in the ground, turns the box over into 

 the hole; throws on some straw and dust to 

 keep them from the frost. 



M. L. Dunlap uses saw-dust just from 

 the logs; prefers basswood saw-dust; scions 

 kept in a cellar, kept cool and ventilated, 

 but not allowed to freeze, should be cut in 

 JS'ovembor and December; terminal bud 

 grafts succeed as well as side bud grafts, if 

 mature; the ?iue shoots of nursery trees are 

 generally mature; if the terminal bud is im- 

 perfect, cut back to a sound bud; frozen 



seious should be thawed out gradually. 

 : ««> 



From the VaUey Farmer. 



Shade Trees on the Prairies. 



With all the natural beauty of the Prairies 

 there is a nakedness around many a farm 

 house, that in the season of winter imparts a 

 shudder to the beholder, and under the burn- 

 ing sun of July the opposite sensation is 

 very forcibly brought to mind. 



With proper care and fore' hought in es- 

 tablishing nurseries of shade trees in various 

 sections of the prairie region, not only profit- 

 able trade might spring up with the grower, 

 but he would have the proud satisfaction of 

 witnessing a few years hence, the vast im- 

 provement he had caused in the landscape, 

 and the comfort he has been instrumental in 

 imparting to his fellow neighbors. There 



