76 
“You ask my views on the question of root grafts as contrasted with 
top grafts. In answer, I will give you the result of my observations. 
There are two orchards in this neighborhood, both planted in 1847. 
The trees of one, sixty in number, were budded and bore last year sev¬ 
enty bushels of the largest and finest apples. They have borne fruit 
three years, and only one tree out of the original number is missing, and 
that was killed by plowing. The trees are vigorous and healthy, and the 
orchard promises to be one of the finest in this section of the country. 
The trees of the other orchard, one hundred in number, were grafted in 
their roots. Some of them grew rapidly, others scarcely at all, and in three 
years ten had died. On examining these I found black spots on the par¬ 
tially healed ends of the limbs that had been cut off, and that the heart was 
dozy and rotted with a white rot to the ground, and.that even the roots 
were thus affected. In the fourth year, three of the remaining trees had 
split open from the ground up, about two feet. In the fifth year two, and 
in the sixth, three more exhibited the same appearance. During this time, 
some five or six had borne fruit. Last year they yielded from forty to 
forty-five bushels of apples; but two of the bearing trees, English Rus¬ 
sets, split down, and the heart was found to be affected in the same man¬ 
ner as the first ten were that died. Of the ten that split open, there are 
but three alive; and these are among the largest and finest in the orchard. 
In it can be seen trees of all sizes, from the necessity of replacing each 
year the dead with new trees. 
“ Both orchards were alike well taken care of. 
“ I think I can safely say, that those trees that are grafted or budded 
a short distance above the ground are more sure and hardy than those 
grafted in the roots. They are not as liable to crack open from the ef¬ 
fects of the frost, because root grafts send out roots above the union 
and grow rapidly, forming a large pith and tender w r ood, which often 
does not harden before winter; and from being full of sap is in great 
danger of being injured by the frost. This injury occurs either in the 
bursting asunder or splitting of the tree, or else from causing it to 
exude a gum or varnish from the spots left bare by the pruning knife. 
On this last account many nurserymen discourage pruning. 
“ My opinion is, that our best fruit trees, of whatever kind, should be 
budded or grafted on native or seedling stocks, from one to three years 
