ROOT-GRAFTED AND BUDDED TREES. 



155 



are Mann apples. In Fig. 151, the piece-root-grafts, upon 

 tlie left, are two years from the graft ; the buds, upon the 

 right, are of like age. In Fig. 152, the piece-root-grafts, 

 upon the left, are three years old, and the buds, upon the 

 right, are two years. The different root systems of the two 

 are apparent in each case. 



All these comparisons are not made for the purpose of 

 showing that root-grafts are inferior to buds, but simply that 

 they are different from them. Yet, the author is convinced 

 that very many of the root-grafted trees are made with 

 such short and weak pieces of roots that the trees are dis- 

 tinctly inferior. The practice of 

 root-grafting fruit trees has almost 

 disappeared from the east. East- 

 ern buyers generally desire strong, 

 heavy trees, with deep and full 

 root systems ; and there is an 

 opinion — though not resting upon 

 definite experiments — that the 

 deep-rooted budded trees enter 

 deeper into the ground and make 

 longer-lived trees than the root- 

 grafted samples. 



The entire question of the ulti- 

 mate merits of the two classes of 

 trees rests, therefore, more upon 

 the way in wliich the stocks are 

 trimmed and handled when the 

 propagating is done, than upon the' 

 mere fact of their being budded 

 or root-grafted. Root-grafting has 

 distinct merits in the northwest, 

 where own-rooted trees are de- 

 sired (see Fig. 104), and it cheap- 

 ens propagation ; but as pro]ia- 

 gating is ordinarily done in our nurseries, the author is 

 distinctly of the opinion that, as a rule, the budded apple 



75/. Piece-root-grafts and buds, 

 two years old. 



