Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-05-22
FRUIT TREES.
How Their Early Decay IL Broughb About
Some Practical Suggestions.


How Their Early Decay IL Broughb About
Some Practical Suggestions.
1t is often stated that fruit trees do
not now live go long as they formerly
did, and various reasons are ascribed
for this; probably 1t is not due to any
one cause, but is rather the effect of
several One Of the remedies sug-
gested is, that apple trees should be
budded instead of grated. This is only
another way of saying that whole seed
lings are better for stocks than pieces
of root. There can notbe any material
difference between collar-grafted, or
collar-budded tree, the tree being
formed from single bud in either case.
Theoretically tho most perfect trees are
grown on whole Seeding stocks. Prac-
tically root-grafts make fine, thrifty
looking trees, but do they possess as
large an amount of vitality as the 9TH
ersp How little we know about the in
fuence the stock has on the graft and
its fruit. If we top-graft an early
apple tree with winter variety, the
apples will ripen sooner than the same
variety on q collar-grafted tree. This
seems to indicate, the more of the stock
we retain the greater its influence on
the fruit. In the former case, roots,
trunk and part of the branches were
retained; in the other only the roots.
Many believe the influence of the stock
to be so trifling as not to be worth no.
tice. The indirect action of the stock
upon tho fruit is readily seen. A poor,
weak stock is likely to produce an un-
thrifty tree, and an unthrifty tree will
not equal vigorous one in yield and
quality of fruit. But has the stock
more direct influence on fruitp
Variations often occur that are diff
icult to account for otherwise. South
of Philadelphia, winter apples have
tendency to ripen too soon. Might not
this be partially obviated by selecting
seed for stocks from vigorous late-keep-
ing varietiesP Might not the ripening
of early apples be accelerated by simi-
lar selection from early kindsp Would
not a series of experiments of this class
give some definite informationP There
seems to be an opportunity for improve
ment here, not alone with apples, but
other fruits also. Who knows but some
of the diseases of pear trees may be
caused by the unacclimated foreign
stocks used in propagatingP The
largest share of our attention seems to
be directed towards new varieties
something ''ironclad," that will yield
an abundance of frst-class fruit with
little or no care-while improvement in
culture is comparatively neglected.
Trees are apt to receive a severe check
in the violent change produced by re-
moval from rich nursery soil to the
poor, exhausted soil in which the
orchard is planted-at least it is ex-
hausted in comparison with the virgin
soil of olden time. In addition to this,
the tree is often planted too deep,
under the common but erroneous
belief that it will be better able to
withstand drought and high winds if
| its roots are set down where the soil is
always moist. As likely as not they go
down into the barren subsoil, with per-
haps few shovelfuls of fertile soil
thrown around by way of reminding
them of where they ought to have been
planted. When a tree is planted too
deep, it must either send feeders up to
the surface soil, or start fresh roots
above the collar before it can make
| liuSu IL any SioNtu. lHOsc tiCcS WHICH
never start roots above the collar, are
specially injured by deep planting.
Most. if not all stone fruits belong to
this class, so do some apples and pears.
Do our trees suffer now from more
frequent and protracted droughts than
in former timesp If so, this must be a
heavy strain on their vitality, especially
when loaded with a crop of fruit. In
some countries forests are planted to
help increase and regulate the rainfall.
If they have the same effect in this
climate, it is remarkable that more is
not said and done about planting them.
When our trees approach maturity, and
begin to fill the soil with roots,
still we continue to drive the spite.
full old plow through them, in the
name of thorough culture" The
plowman invariably goes deeper thar
he is instructed, it being easier tc
keep the plow steady if set to run deep
What matter if multitude of root:
and rootlets are destroyed? No one viii
be any the wiser. Roots of an inch
and even more in diameter are fre
quently cut off and torn up, beside!
many others are barked and bru sed
This annual destruction of roots car
not be conducive to long life. Thor
ough culture would be to use the harrow
and cultivator so often that the soil, foI
an inch or more in depth, would alway
be mellow as an ash heap.-America,
Agriculturist.
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