CHAPTER V. 

 MODES AND PRINCIPLES OF PROPAGATION. 



44. Some Preliminary Considerations. — As stated in (1) 

 and (2), plants or trees grown from seed of the cultivated 

 varieties are too variable for practical uses. The perpet- 

 uation of given varieties has led to the invention of many- 

 methods of propagation. The methods nearest to Nature, 

 such as growing from cuttings of root or top, from 

 sprouts, or by layering, have not been questioned by prac- 

 tical aud experienced growers. 



Budding and grafting are old methods in Europe, but 

 the process was confined until recent years to changing 

 the tops of hardy stocks by inserting buds or scions cf 

 desirable varieties. Eoot-grafting and commercial stock- 

 budding are modern methods that have led to much 

 discussion among American planters of trees, and in 

 Europe the adverse decisions have been still more pro- 

 nounced. 



45. Root-grafting in Europe. — Over a large part of 

 Europe fruit-trees are found on their own roots. Sprouts 

 and suckers of cherry, plum, prune, apple, pear, and other 

 fruits are used for orchard-planting. In some noted 

 centres of commercial prune- and cherry-growing the use 

 of grafted trees seems quite unknown except in the way of 

 changing the tops of hardy native stocks. In 1883 the 

 writer gave the summer to a study of practical orcharding 



40 



