62 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
NOVEL ROOT TREATMENT. 
Distilled Water Supplied through a Tube to the Cut-off End of 
a Root on a Newly Transplanted Tree Pending the Formation 
of Root Hairs—Growth Greatly Accelerated. 
If the root-hairs of a tree have been destroyed in trans¬ 
planting, there is delay in the expansion of the leaf buds, 
because of the lack of root-pressure—that is, the force with 
which the plants lift the water absorbed from the soil, says the 
Rural New Yorker. The cells of ihe buds are able to absorb 
the water, and the roots absorb water quite freely without 
root-hairs, but the water thus obtained is not lifted so rapidly 
to the buds, hence the slow resumption of growth. In view of 
these facts, Professor E. S. Goff, of the Wisconsin Experiment 
Station, was led to make some experiments in supplying artifi¬ 
cial root pressure to newly transplanted trees, with very suc¬ 
cessful results. 
The treatment applied consists in supporting a quantity of 
distilled water at a height equal to, or slightly exceeding, that 
of the tree, and connecting this by means of a tube with the 
cut-off end of one of the roots. The water is thus kept in 
contact with the root, and is also under pressure which tends 
to force it into the wood. The device used consists of a 
round glass flask holding about two quarts, in the neck of 
which is a rubber cork having two vertical holes through it. 
Through one of these holes, a short glass tube is inserted, to 
which a rubber tube is attached ; through the other hole, a 
longer glass tube is inserted, which reaches nearly to the bot¬ 
tom of the flask. The flask being inverted, the longer tube 
supplies air, permitting the water to pass out through the 
shorter tube, which is connected by the rubber tube with the 
root of the tree. In applying the apparatus to the tree, a tall 
stake is driven firmly into the ground, near to the top of 
which is placed a short, narrow piece of board, having a notch 
cut in it, near one end, to fit over the stake, and a hole bored 
through it, large enough to admit the neck of the flask, near 
the other end. The flask is then half-filled with water, the 
cork inserted, and the rubber tube attached to the shorter tube 
in the cork. The rubber is then passed downward through 
the hole in the board intended to support the flask, when the 
end of the tube is closed by pinching it with one hand, and 
with the other hand the neck of the flask is passed through 
the support from above, the rubber tube being drawn through 
in the meantime. The closed end of the tube is then released 
sufficiently to permit a little water to pass through, and thus 
force all the air out of it, when it is slipped over the end of the 
root that has been previously cut off, and tied on tightly with 
a bit of cord. The soil is then placed about the root, and the 
tree is thenceforth treated in the ordinary manner. 
The effect of this artificial water pressure is very quickly 
shown, sometimes within 48 hours. In some of the cases 
described, the trees artificially treated started into growth 18 
days before those without the artificial root pressure. The 
injectors remained attached to the trees until the middle of 
August, but it is not considered that the advantage of the in¬ 
jector goes any farther than in aiding the starting of root- 
hairs. After the leaves have once expanded, new root-hairs 
are formed, the normal root pressure begins. Trees of which 
the bark is shriveled and the buds blackened by undue drying, 
or of which the roots have been killed by severe freezing, can¬ 
not be saved by this treatment. In the case of trees that 
seem unable to expand their leaves, although both bark and 
buds are plump, the process will be of value, especially when 
it is desired to plant without severe cutting back of the top. 
Clean rain water may be used in place of distilled water ; but 
hard water should never be used. 
PEAR OR QUINCE STOCK. 
H. C. Prinsep, Uckfield, Sussex county, England, discussing 
late pears says : “The question now is, are we not by grow¬ 
ing pears on the quince stock, bringing them more quickly 
into maturity, causing the fruit to ripen earlier than when 
grown on the pear stock ? If this be so, then the remedy is as 
bad as the disease, for though we may have more fruit at an 
earlier date, we sacrifice more than is gained by being without 
good pears when dessert of any kind is scarce. I should be 
glad to know what others have to say on this subject, as it 
would be very interesting to learn their experience. Most of 
us know that, by allowing the fruit to hang as long as possible, 
it will retard its ripening, but with respect to the various kinds 
of stocks used to play such an important part, it would be 
more interesting still to have opinions.” 
AT MARCELINE, MO. 
Linton & Koup, Marceline, Mo., write under date of May 
9 : “We have just closed our deliveries; we opened our 
digging March 24th. The season has been wet and cold which 
made the season longer for handling stock. The demand for 
apple has been heavy with the Ben Davis, Cano, York Im¬ 
perial, Grimes Golden, Jonathan and Maiden Blush in the 
lead. Our trade in Illinois and Indiana was on apple, cherry, 
plum, pear, grape and most of the small fruits. In Missouri, 
Arkansas and South Kansas, it was apple, peach, plum and 
cherry. 
“ Our surplus was taken up early in the season. Stock has 
been in strong demand all through the season, with but little 
changes in price. Customers were looking for class rather 
than price and were ready to meet the deliveries promptly. 
The writer made twenty-two deliveries, and though many de¬ 
liveries were made in the rain, customers were prompt. We 
have found trade generally the best of any season in six years. 
The trade on cherry has been light for four years, but the 
demand this season has taken out about all that was ready 
to go. 
“The peach crops of the past three seasons have stimulated 
a demand for planting peach trees and there will be but few 
peach in surplus. The demands for the better varieties of 
plum, especially the Japans, have taken the surplus up. We 
can see no reason why the demand for fall should not be as 
good, if not a little better, than the past season. The stock 
being taken up closer, with an extra demand will greatly 
strengthen spring prices. The indications are that there was 
more nursery stock planted the past season than in any one 
season in the past ten years ; especially is this true in Missouri 
in family orchards. Evergreens and ornamentals were also in 
demand. 
“ These have been in the background for some time past. 
The excess of rain has retarded planting, but we have about 
evened up now, with everything starting out rapidly.” 
