1836. 



New application of grafting. 



29 



climate alone, as it is well known, that fruit trees, which have 

 been barren for years, have at once become fruitful on the soil 

 being changed. The records of horticulture present num- 

 berless cases of this kind. That change of climate or expo- 

 sure had no influence on the result is proved by the trees not 

 being removed from the spot on which they originally grew. 

 It is equally on record, in the annals of horticulture, that 

 whole borders have been nearly unproductive until by artifi- 

 cial means the trees were prevented sending their roots into 

 an uncongenial subsoil, when an immediate change took place, 

 both in the quantity and quality of the fruit produced. Such 

 cases, and they are neither few nor far between, affording un- 

 deniable proof of the great influence exerted by soil, on both 

 the health and productiveness of fruit trees in their native 

 country, there can be no difficulty in allowing it in the case of 

 exotics, an equal if not a greater power. We may even go a 

 step farther I think, and broadly assert that if the tree at- 

 tempted to be introduced is a tropical plant, that the chances 

 against success, depend more on the soil than on local differ- 

 ences of climate. On these grounds, I would urge on the 

 attention of the society, the propriety of, as early as possible, 

 commencing a course of experiments illustrative of the 

 respective influence of soil and climate in counteracting the 

 successful introduction of useful plants, as well as, on their 

 influence in increasing or diminishing their produce. 



To gain this information, I would suggest as one of the 

 means to be tried, that of grafting, the trees under experi- 

 ment, on hardy country stocks, that are known to thrive in 

 nearly all kinds of soil, and observe, whether such scions are 

 more healthy and productive than the parent trees. My at- 

 tention was first called to the subject, by observing the num- 

 ber of thriving and fruitful trees, introduced at Courtallum, 

 though of species usually most difficult to manage, a result, 

 which I am inclined to attribute mainly to the peculiar ferti- 

 lity of the soil, without however, wishing to detract in the 

 slightest degree from the excellence of the climate. The 

 only precaution to be observed, as indispensably necessary to 

 success in grafting, is that of always using stocks, of the same 

 genus or natural order with the scion to be grafted. The 



