FRUIT TREES, Chap. I. 



11 



From healthy and hardy trees (a) take straight, vertical rather than lateral 

 branches, that are one, two, or three years old (b\ with live, uniform bark. Cut off 

 approximately one-foot lengths. With the fingernails pinch off any buds from the part that 

 has to go into the ground, but retain their stems (c), or the small swellings at the origins 

 the buds. If there are some small branches, cut them back to a half-ligne [Translator's 

 note: the ligne was a former measurement of length equivalent to 1/12 of an inch] from 

 their insertion point. Plant (d) the branches prepared this way four to six inches deep and 

 a similar distance apart from one another, in free, very loose, mellow soil, or even soil 

 that has been sieved, without compost (e) or manure. Tamp it down by hand or by foot. 

 Cover the soil with litter (/). Wrap the part above the ground in moss held on loosely with 

 thread or wicker. Water it plentifully. Set up boards or straw mats on the south side (g) to 

 protect the cuttings from the sun. Water lightly but often to maintain the moisture 

 necessary for growth. Remove the protection from the sun only when the success of the 

 cuttings is assured (/?) by the presence of shoots that already are large & robust. This 

 procedure 



{a) The branches of a weak and debilitated tree cannot 

 furnish the growth and sustenance that cuttings must 

 generate. Vertical branches are more vigorous and full of 

 sap than the horizontal ones are. 



{b) Branches from the last sap run are extremely 

 delicate and transpire too easily. 



(c) The bud stems and the rings where they insert into 

 the branches contain a lot of sap and arc suitable for rooting. 



(d) The cuttings must be planted and not just shoved 

 into the ground lest the bark come off, fester, and 

 soon transmit the decay to the rest of the cutting. 



(e) Compost & manure prevent the soil from packing 



closely and fully encompassing the cutting. 



if) Litter prevents the soil from being beaten 

 down and hardened by watering, & it keeps it 

 moist. Moss keeps the cuttings from drying out 

 and from excessive transpiration. Cuttings take 

 root well under a bell-glass because there they 

 have moisture, warmth, and transpire almost 

 not at all. 



(g) The sun and putrefying moisture are the 

 two greatest enemies of cuttings. Thus it would 

 be very bad to place them at the base of a 

 terrace wall or at the base of a very high wall. 

 But they would do even worse in the sun. which 

 will dry them out and kill them quickly. 



(h) A few leaves or small branches 



