fruit Trees from Cuttings. ries 
California upon imported seedlings a serious root-fungus which 
kills all kinds of orchard trees in Europe, and he advises the 
use of home-grown seedlings to escape this danger. 
Fruit Trees from Cuttings.—It is feasible to grow a number 
of kinds of fruit trees from cuttings, but it is not desirable in 
many cases to doit. Trees grown from a graft or bud in a seed- 
ling root are much better. The root system of a seedling is 
naturally stronger and more symmetrical. The roots from a 
cutting start out at the bottom and spread out horizontally and 
irregularly This style of a root system is expressively named 
“duck-foot roots,” and they do not give the tree a deep, strong 
hold on the soil. Trees can, however, be multiplied very fast 
from cuttings. Notable instances of this are the Myrobalan 
plum and the Leconte pear. Cuttings of deciduous trees should 
be taken from well-matured wood of the previous season’s 
growth, and planted in rows and in well-prepared soil, as has 
already been described for the sowing of fruit-tree seeds. The 
cuttings-should be taken before the sap begins running in the 
winter. A cutting about ten inches long, four-fifths of its length 
buried in the ground, will answer. Be sure that the ground is 
firmed well at the base of the cutting, but keep the surface loose. 
Small wood is better than large, though, of course, the extreme 
ends of twigs should be rejected usually. Cultivation of cut- 
tings is the same as that of seedlings, and budding, when the 
cuttings are to be used as stocks, is also governed by the same 
rules. 
The orange and lemon can be grown from cuttings, but the 
work is done at a different season, and requires different treat- 
ment. Cut from wood one or two years old; set in open ground 
of partial shade and give plenty of water (dry ground is death 
to their tender roots). Plant out in the summer months. Cut- 
tings started in the warm weather and given partial shade and 
plenty of irrigation are very apt to succeed. A piece of well- 
drained soil is essential. This method of growing these fruits 
is not, however, in wide use or favor. 
The propagation of the olive and the fig from cuttings will 
be considered in the chapters on those fruits. 
Planting Out in Nursery.—For planting out in nursery, the 
term “spring” is given at the proper time, but in California it 
must be remembered that spring is not any definite division of 
the year. “Spring weather’ comes from the first of February 
to the first of May, according to the latitude or elevation or 
exposure resulting from local topography. Cherries may be 
ripe in Vaca Valley before fruit trees put out leaves in Modoc 
County; and between these extremes there are advents of spring 
in other places according to the situation. These facts are more 
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