On propagating Fruit Trees from the Roots. 253 



As the roots of trees elongate like the branches, by parts 

 annually added to their previous extremities, it appears 

 probable that the powers of life would become expended 

 as soon in the points of the roots, as in the bearing branches. 

 Experience however warrants a different conclusion. 



I obtained plants from some detached parts of the ex- 

 tremities of the roots of old ungrafted Pear and Apple- 

 trees, and as soon as these were large enough to afford 

 grafts, I selected other grafts of similar size from the bear- 

 ing branches of the same trees, and some of each were in- 

 serted in similar stocks, and in several instances two in the 

 same large stock ; and wherever inserted, the grafts which 

 had been taken from the bearing branches proved by no 

 means able to contend with their more hardy vigorous 

 rivals. The latter produced thorns like those of young 

 seedling trees ; and although other circumstances lead me 

 to believe that trees raised from roots in the manner above- 

 mentioned will not live as long as seedling plants, I am 

 nevertheless confident that they will live very long, and 

 afford much more hardy and productive trees than can 

 possibly be obtained from the bearing branches. Similar 

 experiments with the same results were made with grafts 

 of a Plum tree. 



Duhamel has stated the original tree of the Chaumontel 

 Pear to have been alive and in health later than the middle 

 of the last century ; and as the tree was not then very old 

 for a Pear tree, it is probably still living. If plants could 

 be obtained from its roots, they would prove a valuable 

 acquisition to the gardeners of France, and one of still more 

 value to the English gardeners ; for we possess no winter 



