Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-04-18
More about Fruit Growing.

A. S. p of South Royalton, a fruit grower
of much experience, favors us with the fol
lowing letter:
"A few weeks since noticed an article
in your paper in reply to correspondent in
Washington, relating to grating crab apple
trees, to which thought should like to add
few remarks.
II think that in grating on to the crab
the same conditions will hold true that are
found in grating on to the common apple. l
have found, in over forty years experience
in grating on to matured standard trees,
that all trees were not alike. They did not
look alike, they do not all grow alike; one
grows upright and another spreading one
with but few branches, another with many,
whilst of another the branches will assume
almost whey form. Now with these diff
ferent characteristics we find different tend
encies to disease as we find in the human
family. Psychologists tell us that there are
different 'temperaments,' and that those
temperaments have their different tenden-
perience that all the varieties which we graft
will not flourish on every tree or stock, and
| think have learned when | go to a tree
to be able in some measure to distinguish
whether this or that variety will be likely to
flourish on that tree or not. | have also
found that some trees, apparently in low,
feeble condition, may be grated with some
varieties and they will seem to become more
healthy aud vigorous. recolect some five
or six years ago was at work for a man,
and he pointed out tree and wanted me to
graft it. examined it, and found it quite
rotten at the heart, and discouraged him,
Nevertheless, to crafty him, | grated it
to the Yellow Bell Flower. Last fall he
says he picked a barrel of nice apples from
this tree.
"Now in relation to grating the crab
apple, it will be noticed that in those trees
bought of the nurserymen there are only
about three or four varieties, namely, the
Hyslop, Transcendent, Yellow and Red ST.
beri N. Now the Red Astrachan, Fameuse.
Macintosh Red (Which some say is the
Fameuse), may flourish on them-at least
they seem to take well to begin with, with
me. | should think the Russian varieties
also would do well on them. About cutting
scions and keeping them, it seemed to me
that your instructions were little vague
| have cut scions at nearly all times after the
leaves fall till the buds were considerably
swollen. have cut them in August for
budding, and kept them till spring. have
kept those cut to use one spring over till
another spring, in good condition. If
wanted scions to put into my chest to carry
about the neighborhood to graft, | have
found those cut in the fall and we'll kept to
bear the most handling and exposure. When
we have extreme cold, the thermometer
down to thirty-two, or lower, we are liable
to find the buds killed when the stock will
appear good. But for immediate use and
for those that have no experience in keeping
scions, had rather run the risk on those cut
at the first of April and kept few days,
or Just before the buds swell.
"Now about keeping scions. In large
quantities, say five to ten thousand and up
wards, they may be kept very easy by put
ting them in close box throw a little
damp (nOi UeO moss around them, or even
piece of damp carpet or old sacking,
and cover them up, and they will be likely
to keep we'll They may be kept in damp
earth, but by all means do not let the damp
earth come next the butts of the scons, for
if it does for any considerable length of
time the scions will be spoiled by becoming
water-soaked. They will look good, but to
an experienced eye will show to be spoiled
on whiting. Damp Chat is, green) saw
dust is just right, provided you use suf-
ficient quantity so that it will not dry or
mold but green moss such as we find in
swamps, prefer, for the reason that it is not
liable to mold or heat, and may be moistened
a tritie if it gets too dry. The secret of keep
ing scions may be summed up in very few
words-keep water aoay from the butts and
mostly away from the stocks keep cool, and
prevent absorption of water; or, in other
words, keep dormant"
We did not intend to be vague in our di-
rections for the preservation of scions. All
the ways named by A. s. p. are good but the
safest, as he says, and as many years of entire
success have proved to us, is packing in saw
dust just as it comes from the green log.
There is no doubt that not only does the
stock affect the cion, but the scion affects
the stock so that you may set two rows OF
young seedlings, graft or bud one row with
one kind of apple, and the other row with
another kind, and when, after three or foui
years, You dig them up, each row will have
roots alike, and different from those of the
other row. This difference will often be
very striking, and proves conclusively that
the scion has controlled not only the guam
tity of roots, but also their habit of growth
either deep-rooted or superficial fibrous Oh
branching, as the case may be.