THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
63 
GRAFTING THE APPLE. 
Results of Experiments at the Kansas Station to Test Merits of 
Various Lengths of Scions and Different Portions of the 
Roots for Grafting—Some of the Conclusions. 
In the introduction to a bulletin by S. C. Mason and J. 
Jones, of the Kansas Experiment Station, the authors consider 
the objections usually urged against grafting. The objection 
based on the variable character of seedling stocks is considered 
valid unless the grafts are planted so that roots are thrown out 
above the point of union of stock and scion, thus placing the 
trees on their own roots. 
Experiments were begun at the station in 1889 to test the 
merits of various lengths of scions and different portions of 
the roots for grafting. No. 1 apple roots from French Crab 
seedlings were used. In the first experiment, uniform 6-in. 
Ben Davis scions were grafted on different parts of roots. The 
tops of the seedlings were cut off below the crown and the 
roots cut into 3 pieces. One hundred grafts were made with 
the upper part of the roots, 100 with the middle part, and ico 
with the lower part, or tips of the roots. About 80 per cent, 
of the grafts made with the upper and middle parts of the 
roots grew and at 1 and 2 years old there was little difference 
between the trees grown from them. Of the grafts made with 
the root tips only 60 per cent. grew. The first season the trees 
of this lot averaged one-third less in height than the other lots 
and were more slender and weak. The difference was less 
marked the second year. 
The same year that the above experiment was begun 100 
Ben Davis scions 2 ft. long were grafted on the upper parts of 
roots cut below the crown. At 2 years old these trees were 
about one-half larger and stronger than the trees from 6-in. 
scions on similar stocks. Many of the tops were so heavy as 
to necessitate summer pruning. 
In 1893 more extensive experiments were begun to test the 
merits of various lengths of scions and stocks and the merits 
of grafting above and below the crown. The stocks used were 
all No. 1 seedlings, regraded to get a more uniform lot. The 
scions were also as uniform as possible. Winesap, Missouri 
Pippin, Ben Davis, and Maiden Blush were used in each series 
of grafts made. Three lengths of scions, 6, i 2, and 24 in. 
were used. With each kind of scion 4 lengths of stocks were 
used, namely, piece roots xj^, 2J4, and 5 in. long, and whole 
roots. For all piece-root grafts the upper parts of roots were 
used. In all cases except where 1% in. stocks were used one- 
half of the grafts were made i-in. above the crown and the 
other half below the crown. Besides the above a number of 
grafts were made on 2j4-in. piece roots of small size. In all 
9,200 grafts were made. The grafts were stored during the 
winter under uniform conditions, and in the spring set in 
nursery rows. The place of union of stock and scion in all 
cases was about 3 in. below the surface of the soil. 
The percentage of loss was great, owing to the very unfavor¬ 
able spring and to the grafts having been stored in a cellar 
which was too warm. The loss with the whole root grafts was 
least and increased as the length of root diminished. At the 
end of the first year 81.6 per cent, of the whole root grafts 
were living, 48.5 per cent, of the 5 in., 17.2 per cent, of the 2 
in., 11 per cent, of the small 2J2 in., and 6 per cent, of the 1J4 
in. piece root grafts. At the end of the third season measure¬ 
ments were made of the height of the trees and the diameter 
of the trunk 1 ft. above the ground. The greatest growth was in 
trees grafted on the longest stocks and the growth declined grad¬ 
ually though slightly with the shorter stocks, being about 11 
per cent, greater with the whole root than with the ij^ in. 
piece root grafts. The trees also showed a tendency to make 
the best growth from the longest scions, the growth being 11 
per cent, greater with the 24 in. scions than with the 6 in. 
ones. There was no constant difference in growth between 
the trees grafted above the crown and those grafted below it. 
In 1894 the above experiment was repeated in part with 
Winesap, Ben Davis, and Missouri Pippin apples, using 6, 12, 
and 24 in. scions on whole root, and 5 in. piece root stocks 
grafted both above and below the crown. Tables are given 
showing the data obtained from the measurements of the 
diameter and height of trees grown from the various kinds of 
grafts. After 2 years’ growth there was no constant difference 
between trees grafted above the crown and those grafted be¬ 
low, either as regards height or diameter. The length of the 
stocks and scions had a marked influence on the growth, the 
difference in favor of the long stocks and long scions being 
practically constant in all cases. The height of 2-year-old 
trees grafted on wffiole roots averaged 4.81 ft., and on 5 in. 
stocks 3.96 ft. The diameter of the former was 0.48 in. and 
of the latter 0.368 in. The average height of trees from 24 in. 
scions was 4.79 ft.; from 12 in., 4 37 ft.; and from 6 in. scions, 
3 98 ft.; and the diameters were 0.52 in., 0.411 in., and 0.388 
in. respectively. From measurements made after 3 years’ 
growth, the authors conclude that the differences due to length 
of either stock or scion are greater in the first and second 
years than in the third, the average diameters of 3 trees from 
24, 12, and 6 in. scions being 0.788, 0,741, and 0,737 in. re¬ 
spectively. 
In 1895 grafts were made with 12 and 6 in. scions on whole 
roots, 5 in. roots, and 2J2 in. roots grafted above and below 
the crown. In addition a stock grafted above the crown and 
with roots cut 8 in. long was tested. A table shows the 
measurements of trees at 2 years old. No constant differences 
were obtained in favor of either length or style of stock or of 
grafting either above or below the crown. The trees from 12 
in. scions were invariably greater in height and diameter than 
those from 6 in. scions. 
In summing up the experiments the authors say that the 
difference of growth in favor of the longer scions and stocks is 
probably not sufficient to compensate for the extra labor and 
expense made necessary by their use. 
From an examination of the roots the authors conclude : 
“ First, that the main root growth from all lengths of stock 
is made, in the first year, at or just below the union of the 
stock and scion ; second, that the growth at this point becomes 
more pronounced in the second and third year’s growth of the 
tree ; third, that growth from the lower portion of the stock is 
very slight during the first year and becomes of less import¬ 
ance during the second and third; fourth, that this lower 
growth is greatest on the shorter piece roots and least on the 
whole root; and fifth, that where the graft is buried deeply a 
new system of side roots will take the lead at about the usual 
depth below the surface of the soil, to the more or less com¬ 
plete dwarfing of the lower and earlier root systems.” 
