164 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



mount the more clioice Apples for garden cultiva- 

 tion, it may be useful to take the least important 

 methods of propagation first. 



Propagation of Apples by Cuttings. — 



Most varieties of Apples may be increased in this 

 "way, the different sorts, however, varying widely in 

 their time of rooting and the percentage of success. 

 A few sorts, such as the Keswick and some other 

 Codlins, root readil}-, and the Stuhbard and creeping 

 Apples almost as freely as Gooseberry or Currant 

 cuttings. The majority of varieties, however, root 

 slowly and with considerable uncertainty. 



The cuttings may be inserted in the open air 

 either in November or February, the former being 

 the best season. The more free-rooting sorts may 

 be placed on a shady border ; those that root more 

 slowly and shyly should be placed in sandy soil and 

 covered with hand-glasses, and kept closely covered 

 till rooted, which will probably not be till June or 

 July. The glasses should be shaded during bright 

 sunshine. So soon as rooted, gradually remove the 

 lights or cloches, and expose the plants to the open 

 air. Early in November transplant into nursery 

 rows, fifteen inches asunder, and three or six from 

 plant to plant. 



There is yet another method of rooting Apjjle- 

 cuttings. This consists in placing the cuttings in a 

 bottom heat of 65 or so in February, keeping the 

 top at least 20*^ cooler. The heat will stimulate 

 vital action at the base of the cuttings, causing 

 them to callus, and therefore form roots. By this 

 method much time is saved, and the rooting is not 

 only more rapid, but more sure. Cuttings, however, 

 to be thus treated to heat, should be removed from 

 the trees in the November previous, and if made at 

 the same time they will root all the sooner in con- 

 sequence. 



This brings us to the sort of Apple-cuttings most 

 likely to throw out roots. From six to eight inches 

 long is a handy length, and each cutting should be 

 heeled off — that is, it should be the bottom part of 

 the current year's shoot, or of a small shoot, and a 

 base or heel of older wood, half an inch or an inch in 

 area, should be separated with it. If the separation 

 is effected in a business-like way, the cutting, so far 

 as its base is concerned, is perfectly made in its re- 

 moval from the parent tree. Rather weakly and 

 horizontal or pendulous shoots should be chosen in 

 preference to stronger, vertical, or more succulent 

 ones. Disbud the cutting of all buds excepting 

 two, or at most three, at its upper end. If too long, 

 the top of the cutting may be removed with a short 

 clean cut, and from three to four inches of its base 

 inserted in sandy soil. A pinch of pure sand under 

 and around the base facilitates the emission of roots. 



The firmer the soil is pressed around the base of the 

 cutting, the more likely it is to root. Water the 

 cuttings home after insertion, and let the surface 

 dry a little before covering if hand-glasses are put 

 over them. They will not be likely to need any 

 more water till the spring. 



Layers. — This is a simple and sui-e method, 

 largely resorted to in the trade for the raising 

 of immense quantities of plants for stocks. This 

 is one of the oldest and most successful methods 

 of propagation. The practical difficulty in rela- 

 tion to it is that, excepting in the case of dwarf 

 varieties, such as the Paradise and other slender- 

 growing sorts, it is a difficult matter to get the 

 branches of Apple-trees down to the ground. The 

 older cultivators tried to evade this difficulty by 

 lifting pots of soil up to the branches to be layered ; 

 but as these frequently got baked up for lack of 

 water, many layers thus came to grief. The intro- 

 duction of horizontal or ground cordons is, however, 

 likely to give a fresh impetus to the layering of 

 Apple-trees. These being carried along at distances 

 ranging from six inches to eighteen inches fi'om the 

 ground, nothing can be easier than to dip down the 

 ends of the shoots, cut partially thi'ough, form a 

 half -circular heel, place a wedge in to keep open, 

 peg down to keep steady, cover with earth, and 

 wait till rooted. 



Properly manipulated, the layered Apple-branches 

 are boimd to root, for the layerant has a double 

 string to his bow ; he has converted his branch 

 into a sort of cutting (see Rose-layer, page 216, 

 Vol. I.; and that of the Apple is just the same) ; 

 and he forces the tree to sustain the layer until 

 it forms independent roots. When this happens 

 he severs the connection and removes the layer,, or 

 rather a well-rooted Apple-tree. 



I adopted a plan some years ago to make Apple 

 cordons self-supporting, as well as more ornamental. 

 Another and rather unexpected result followed. 

 Where the branches rested on the ground it was 

 found that several of the trees emitted roots and 

 formed circular cordons of a very unique character. 



Now that own-root Roses are all the rage, it is 

 possible that a growing demand may arise for own- 

 root Apple and other fruit-trees. This would get 

 rid of all the complications incident to foreign 

 stocks, and seems, in some varieties at least, to aug- 

 ment fertility to a greater extent than even the 

 French Paradise or Doucin stocks. Amateurs, me- 

 chanics, and cottagers, who are often very enthusi- 

 astic about local varieties, and wax eloquent on the 

 merits of particular Apple-trees, might make sure of 

 perpetuating their favourite trees by propagating 

 them from cuttings or layers. Possibly, too, plants 



