32 



PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS. 



I. CUTTINGS. 



When a ligature is bound closely round a branch, the ob- 

 struction which it imposes to the descending juices, causes 

 an enlargement or swollen ring above the ligature, as in 



fig. 5. The same result 

 is produced if a small ring 

 of bark is cut out, as in 

 fig. 6. If a shoot is taken 

 from the tree before the 

 leaves expand, and plung- 

 ed into moist earth till it 

 commences growth, the de- 

 scending current exuding 

 from the lower extremity, 

 forms a callus or ring o< 

 the newly formed wood, 

 as in fig. 7; and under 

 'favorable circumstances 

 the granulations forming 

 the callus emit roots into 

 the soil, (fig. 8,) and thus 

 a new plant is formed. 

 Every leaf bud on a fruit tree may be regarded as an em- 

 bryo branch, and capable of forming a tree when supplied 



tills it. Weeds which spread rapidly by the roots, as the Canada thistle, may be 

 totally destroyed in one summer, if constantly kept cut offbelow the surface. 



For the same reason, trees which become divested of their foliage by leaf-blight 

 while the fruit is partly gTOwn, do not perfect the ripening process. An interesting 

 Instance occurred during the past season :— A plum tree lost all its leaves, when the 

 fruit was about two-thirds grown, and before it had attained in the slightest degree 

 its flavor. The plums remained stationary, densely loading the naked branches, 

 for three weeks, ■when a new crop of leaves came out. _ The fruit immediately re- 

 commenced growing, and subsequently acquired full size, and a fine, rich, honied 

 flavor, about a month later than the usual period of ripening. 



Hence also the reason why the removal of large portions of the foliage, to favor 

 the ripening of grapes and other fruits by admitting the sun, does not always effect 

 the intended purpose. 



Another case, illustrating the same principle, was reported by the late President 

 Knight: — " A peach tree in my garden, of which I was very anxious to see the 

 fruit, had lost by the severity of the weather, all its blossoms except two, which 

 grew upon leafless branches. I therefore endevored to derive the necessary returning 

 sap [to mature the fruit] from another source. To attain this object, the points of 

 the branches, which bore fruit, "were brought into contact with other branches of 

 the same age, which bore leave' ; and a part of the bark, extending in length about 

 four times their diameters, was paired off immediately above the fruit. Similar 

 wounds were then made upon the other branches, with which these were brought 

 into contact ; the wounded surfaces were closely fitted and tightly bound together. 

 A union soon took place, and the fruit, in consequence, acquired the highest stato 

 of maturity and perfection." 



