The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-29
II. D. nlllyer n lIorlleul.uraI oleanor.

~, ~ ttiilyer IN HUfticulturai hiehHcr
There is no SOFT Of doubt as to tho fact
that system OF propagating trees. as OK
breeding animals. may result In decided
improvements or deterioration No one
will dispute these well known facts. Hence
We are careful In breeding our stock, and
have by The exercise OF good judgment
produced wonderful results. along rfeat
variety OF lines the same IL true Of all
branches OF horticulture, II " also 'rrc
that while we have attained excellence In
one direction We have often wrought great
dcgencracy In others.
This excellence we see In all classes OF
improved stock. fowls and fruits. AZ tie
same time u IN true that fifty years ago.
tiovE and chicken and hog cholera we're
never discussed as Affecting h,ock aud
poultry. and peach yolloss. apguil.ula and
blight were almost unknown TO the or
chardlht. In my own ratiyc STATE men
ret out orchards consisting most.y OF
seedlings In all Sorts OF rough places ana
fence corners They grew aud iiVed for
years and even after the farm honses ind
lands and fences were worn out ana ne
these old trees stood 10 tho CID waste
places and bore fruit without care or cul-
ture I have seen hundreds OF auch trees
that no one could tell tho ago OF. but Itw.
alas. how different Plum trees DO well TO
bear six or seven crops. peach trees are
old at twelve years. and pear trees NJ
twenty. while hundreds are worn out anu
Gle at half these ages. The system OK
propagation Ia largely to blame Tor thlh,
no grated tree can have a greater unonht
OF vitality than the stock upon when "
grows A nursery innn buys pench seed
Of any and everybody. good. bad aud IN
different OF all sorts and yarieties-inrsa
arc planted and II they come up they
are grated or budded. aud sold wnei OF
proper uge--many Of these sssis are from
diseased trees. half ripo or worm rilercd
fruit lis II any wonder We have such
bad luck growing ofchafds--just how far
the stocks or crafts act upon each oirer
Il Is hard 10 tell But this whole System
IL grossly faulty, and II Is TACT thar
MANY old ard once excellent varieties in
time run out. and cease 70 hold their own
and arc no more propasated,
SO degenerate have most Of our fruit
trees become that even Seeding orchards
fall 10 give us the old time longevity.
hardihood and bearing qualities; because
their vitality has become SO much inn
paired by the long continued bad system
OF propagation. And oven the buds are
carolessly selected, badly matured or taken
from enfeebled trees. ! once knew man
who had bearing peach tree. He cut
on several limbs and budded or grated
into them other varieties ms matter OF
curiosity. This he continued to do for sew
eral years. The gratis grew and fruited
well at first the old tree having plenty
OF Its own leaves to assimilate and prepare
Its sap to perform It's natural functions.
But year by year rs this grating was In
creased aud the tree lost by amputation Us
own limbs and foliage, these gratis aud the
| tree became weaker and weaker. until nm
Tally the tree died--not OF old age. but be-
cause the strangers grated into itA limbs
] failed to asnimilate the sap to the neces-
stiles Of the parent stock. tree VIII
Es.N t.srt r.lUI0