ISO GRAFTAGE. 



It is indisputable that there is great difference in the 

 root system between the ordinary budded tree and the 

 ordinary root-grafted tree. The roots of the root-grafted 

 tree, as it leaves the nursery, are comparatively shallow and 

 horizontal, and are generally prongy and strongly developed 

 on one side or another of the tree. It is well known, of 

 course, that different varieties of apples develop a different 

 root system in the nursery row, but the same variety ordi- 

 narily has a very different root development when propa- 

 gated by budding and by common root-grafting. The writer 

 has seen this difference so uniformly for so many years, and 

 upon such an extent and variety of stock, both east and 

 west, that he has no hesitation in positively affirming that, 

 as generally grown, the root system of budded trees is 

 unlike that of root-grafted trees. 



This difference in root development pro- 

 ceeds from the method of cutting the stock. In 

 other words, if the pieces of roots were budded 

 they would undoubtedly develop the same sys- 

 tem of roots that they do when grafted. The 

 philosophy of it will become apparent 

 upon a moment's reflection. The 

 short piece of root has fewer side 

 rootlets than the whole or long root. 

 It is these side rootlets which develop 

 into the main branches of the root 

 system. The root system of the piece-root 

 must, therefore, be shallower at first start than 

 that of the whole root, because the axis is 

 shorter. Moreover, these side rootlets do not 

 develop simultaneously upon all sides of the 

 main axis. They are scattered along the axis. 144. New roots 



A section or piece of the root may contain ""/^^ ««<'<'/ 



^ a piece-root, 



rootlets only on one or two sides of the axis, 



and as these rootlets grow the system becomes one-sided. 



There is still another reason for the prongy and one-sided 



character of the root-system, of piece-roots. The piece of 



