Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-01-31

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The meeting of the Otero county Hor-
ticultural society held Saturday last was
the best attended Of any since its organi-
zation. W. r. Gibson had been selected
by the committee on program to address
the meeting on the subject OF
Grating and Budding
He was fully equipped with roots and
limbs of Young trees with which to fully
illustrate the different methods of propa-
eating stock in the nursery. He pref
aced his remarks by saying that his aim
would be to show exactly the difference
between whole root and piece root gratis,
which is such puzzle to some humble
farmers who have depended principally
on the smooth tongued tree peddlers for
their knowledge Of fruit tree i.santing,
and who are always spending large
amounts Of money for trees grown by
some great method, and who never under
stand exactly why they are unsuccessful
In getting satisfactory orchard.
Producing bundle OF Mariana plum
cuttings he explained that this variety as
well as a number OF other trees such as
the cottonwood, willow, grape, currant,
merely sticking the cuttings into the
ground and caring for it as with any
any other plant. But with the apple
some other help is needed in starting the
scion, or cutting, which is spliced onto q
root OF one-year-old Seeding, in such o
way that the bark OF each come in con-
tact, on one side at least, and when this
is packed in moist sawdust with the tenn
perature moderate and even, from the
time the work is done-in December,
January or February-uDtil time to set
in nursery row-in the latter part Of
ApriI--the two will become united where
the bark joins and in short time will be
grown together. The root
will throw out small fibers and will sup
port the scion for time. As the season
the root and by fall the scion will have
enough roots to support il, even il the
original root were removed. AS he went
along he showed how the cuts were made
in grating and how the waxed string
was wound around the splice to hold it
in place while growing together. The
graft, when made, has root about 4
inches long and scion about 5 inches,
and when set in the ground only about
one inch OF the scion is visible with one
or two buds from WHICH the tree
springs mp.
Mr.. Gibson then took yeariing seed.
ling with all the root, cut it off at the
collar Tor right where the tree and root
join), made a splice and put on scion
about s inches long. He then had q
whole root graft pure and simple. This,
IL was plain to be seen, could not be set
without digging hole as in setting q
tree, and no nurseryman could afford to
l. k~<.
say they shorten this mp to within about
have a crown graft. Then the next cut
was used and we had piece root graft.
Still another cut was left and when used
might be termed a tap root graft. The
speaker said that the crown graft would
make the most rapid growth at first and
probably be the larger tree when taken
from the nursery row in two years, but
would not make bit better tree in the
and he was inclined to think the
second cut possessed the most advanta-
ges. More suckers would spring up
from the crown than lower down on the
root because there were more adventi-
tious buds under the bark at that place.
He had tried the two kinds Of gratis side
by side one year in the nursery grounds
at Emporia, Kansas, and the piece roots
uhu uOh0 UC6Jy oug khc gSob Wd6 uucdkl5-
factory as it was an of year aud he ex-
pected to experiment more thoroughly
with the three sections of the root.
Next, all trees grown by budding were
bound to be whole rooted as the budding
was done in the rows where the seed
lings grew, and grow there until taken
out Of nursery row. But no trees arc
budded that can be grown with any de-
gree of success from the graft. The pear,
plum, peuch, cherry, etc. are Of this class.
He then said that in the northern states
where the winters are severe. only one
inch of root is used in making gratis.
This is 80 that the scion Of the variety
being propagated can be made long and
set deep into the ground SO as to become
entirely independent of the Seeding root
that is used in starting it, rs most seed
lings are too tender to Withstand the eli
roots.
Budding was thon illustrated and it
was suggested that any of those present
who had any Russian Apricot trees on
their places could go out and trim back
lot of the last years growth which will
throw up nice, smooth young shoots
which could be budded at any time next
summer when the bark will slip.
In answer to inquiries Mr.. Gibson said
that if buds were placed early in spring
they would be forced ont and make two
or three feet growth, but if left until late
in August would remain dormant until
the following season. Had packed gratis
in sawdust until the last year or two and
then used sand which he liked better.
Mr.. Kain asked il moss would not do
as was used in packing stock for ship
ment, but was answered that it would in
u short time form mould which would
injure the gratis. This brought up the
question as to whether or not the moss
found growing in the lakes in this section
would do for packing material.
Mr.. Crowley was able to answer from
experience that this moss ls very easily
but it is found to be composed
Of tubes which when dried will crumble
to dust, as it has no fibre at all.
Mr.. Swift asked for information about
the Cranberry. No one had seen it tried
here aud most were Of the opinion that
the low, swampy ground contained too
much alkali although some other plants
grow well enough.
After discussion Of the characterist-
les Of different varieties OF cherries Hon.
]. II. Crowley gave report of the State
meeting at Denver last
week at which he represented the society.
Taking up the program he gave the ma
lure of each paper and discussion and
said that the papers and talks that were
given the best attention and were Of the
most value were those of the practical
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