Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-09-25
Horticultural Society.

The Society met at DR.. Gordon's office.
President Gordon being absent Vice. Pres
ident u. G. Phetzing presided.
Mr.. Maitland reported strawberries as be-
ing considerably injured by the drouth.
Raspberries made good growth. Apples
have q good crop.
MIR. Teubner reported grapes as having
rotted less than last year. He had again tried
sacklng, and found all berries in bags sound,
while those not sacked although suffering
little from rot, were wormy to the extent of
Is to 20 per cent.
DR.. Alexander presented his monthly
weather report for August, including the
reports for the same month for the past nine
years. for comparison.
Vice.President Phetzing considered the re-
ports valuable. They showed that corn
should be planted early to escape drouth.
Earlyl growth of corn also facilitates the
making of hay.
DIR. Alexander said he had for AZ years
noticed the corn crop, and that drouths gem
orally came on early. Had often urged the
early planting of corn.
Mr.. Maitland found that the dry weather
layers.
Mr.. Teubner mentioned that in the rasp-
berry we have an instance of natures law re-
versed, for in the end of the limb forming q
"tip" or layer, the sap often flowed the oppo-
site way (after being severed from the moth
er plan) and formed limbs.
DR.. Alexander claimed that the ends of
the raspberry limbs did not form point"
unless the ends touched the ground, and after
boring into the ground slightly, they invaria-
bly, make turn upwards. He believed that
limbs would form no point if prevented from
touching the ground. He also stated that
some other plants besides the raspberry grew.
if their natural position is reversed. The
willow was an instance. Had also seen
grapevines do it, and upon one occasion he
had used peach limb as a stake for q small
peach tree, driving the small end into the
ground. The stake leafed out and made a
growth equal to the tree it supported, but
finally succumbed when the drOuth came.
Mr.. Maitland had hear / of scions or cuttings
being stuck into potato, which Gas was
caimed furnished moisture and enabled the
cuttings to root more readily, but he had
never tried it.
DIR. Alexander had heard 40 years ago OF
such and similar experiments, as for instance
putting oats under trees in planting, and
thought 1t might be beneficial.
Mr.. Teubner had seen the potato expert
ment tried and it failed. He did not see how
oats could be beneficial in starting trees.
DR.. Alexander thought the moisture and
starch In potatoes, and the decaying oats fur
nished ready plant food. and thus may be
adapted to cuttings which do not take root
easily.
Mr.. Teubner claimed moisture was more
| necessary than food for starting cuttings and
trees. In greenhouse sand and water is
found sufficient for starting growth. He be-
lieved decayInS or fermenting matter was
detrimental rather than beneficial to new
growth. PulverIzed soil furnished moisture
| better than putrid potatoes or decaying oats.
| Mr.. Maitland said this was the proper sea
son Of the year to put in cuttings of the cur
rant. They would callous before winter and
sometimes form roots.
| Dr.Alexander considered a cullous neces sa.
ry Tor the formation of roots, for without
callous no roots will come. On grape cut
ttngs 1t was necessary TO have Joint in the
soil from which the roots issue
Mr.. Teubner had found that some cutting.
from roots in the absence of callous but cal
lous insured roots. Grape cuttings send ou
roots between joints also, but start best at the
joint.
DIR. Alexander said some plants difficult tC
grow from cuttings, could be made to form
callOus in the air by bending up limb anG
cutting partly through the bend, which faci-
itstes the formation Of callous.
incidentally the DIR. stated that quite 1
number of years ago the apple crop wa.
destroyed by an early frost in this county.
Mr.. Maitland said the crop was not AN entire
loss. Some varieties were but little injured
and with prompt care these were saved.
Mr.. Teubner remembered the year; it was
in 1869. He had gathered most of his large
, varieties, but the Janetons, Limbertwigs and
some others were caught. He shook the
apples from the trees the morning after the
frost and turned them into cider before they