The Florida agriculturist., 1906-03-21


growing everywhere. The occasional
mention of freaks that occur where
grating or budding may seemingly,
have caused change in the top or root,
are unworthy of attention, beyond
their value as mere exceptions to the
rule of nature
While variental characters are not
transmitted by grating or budding.
there is no doubt of the controlling
influence of stock upon scion or scion
uDon stock in the matter of vigor.
The case of the dwarfing of the pear
ibyi putting,it on the ounce. as has
Just been mentioned. is one of the
most common and also one of the most
conspicuous illustrations of this truth
The ounce being slow growing tree
and one that never attains large size.
the root. when used as stock for the
pear holds back the ton from growing
as thrifty as it naturally would. This
is matter of less nutrition rather
than of nutrition of different kind
If the roots had been of pear they
would have furnished more nourish-
ment and the growth would have been
corresnondingly greater.
The top of tree. that is more es-
pecially. the amount and character
of the foliage has much to do with
the growth of the entire tree. both
root and top. If the foliage is scarce
and feeble the entire growth will be
contracted. The foliage plays an i'm
pOrtant part in gathering the food sup
ply from the air and digeSting it. All
the woody nart of every tree or plant
that is all that is consumed by fire
or wasted by decay and finally turred
hack into the air. originally came
through the foliage from the air. The
,nart that came through the roots
from the earth is the ashes that are
left after burning or the fully com
pleted decay. Hence. vigOr of growth
LARGELY denends upon abundant and
healthy foliage.
Taking these two PARTS of a tree
the root and top. together. we see that
it is necessary to have them wei
balanced when rafted or budded TO-
gether if the best results are TO Re
obtained. There must be a healthy
and vigorous top on stock of the
same character if we are to have
plenty of good fruit. And it is this
sort of tree that the nurserymen
should aim to provide. 1t is rot a
matter of chance and is rot looked
uDOn i'm this way by intelligent AMI
conscientious nurserymen They study ]
to combine the stocks and sriOns in |
srch ways as will produce the hest
trees. They endeavOr to pronerly |
mate them. much as the stock breeder |
does his animals. And it is rot NEE
ly matter of theory: for it requires
experiment TO determine which are
best when united. For the aDnle the
most vigorous of seedlings are uSe1
as stocks by those who grow first-class
trees. There are differences of opin.
ion ahOut the details of proDagation
Some hold that budding in the nursery
row. thus using one whole Seeding as
1T grows to make each tree. Others
cut up the seedlings i'm the house i'm
winter-time and make them into root
crafts; in some cases getting three or
more roOt-SectiOns from each seedlinr
and making as many trees after they
are grown in tie nursery This is
very common practice and when the
work is well done throughout good
trees are the results However n
better way TO secure first-class anne
trees is to use four to six inches of
The upper part of the root in making
he CRAFTS. and i'm my experience tb-s
s better plan than to use the whole
If the root: because the tip of the
DOT very rarely grows much. the ND
,nr. 0v.f .x.I