The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-01-19
PROPAGATION OFINURS-
ERY STOCK DISCUSSED

The propagation of nursery stock is
of vital importance to and in reality
the very foundation of the fruit indus
try yet how careless many growers are
in selecting the stock they buy. One
cannot judge the true worth of nursery
stock by its appearance as there are so
many little details involved in its pro.
duction which influence the quantity
and quality of fruit the trees will pro-
duce.
There is tremendous significance in
blood, both in human beings and in
animals. 1t is truly remarkable what
has been accomplished in breeding up
livestock to state of excellence. So
it is possible to breed up nursery stock
to an equally advanced state. 1t is an
indisputable fact that nurserymen
in general are not modern or up to
date in methods relating to the propa-
cation of nursery stock.
The growers are more to blame for
existing conditions tt an the nursery
men as they do not demand superior
stock and many of them would not pay
the difference in price between high
grade and inferior stock.
In the production of high grade nurs-
be considered. First come the location
and climate in which it is raised !
would much prefer home grown stock,
but if this is not obtainable | would
recommend getting stock from a more
rigorous climate than our own.
The second matter of Importance is
the origin. In propagating nursery
stock one must remember that some
,F Ill tr
most every disease existing while
others again are vigorous hardy and
immune from such ailments. AS in
livestock so in fruit some crosses will
not blend, the offspring being insight
ly and tending to degeneracy rather
than to invigoration. The root is the
primary factor of the tree for the
vigor. longevity. productiVeness and
quality of fruit depend largely upon it.
Many nurserymen have In the past
resorted to vinegar plants for seed to
develop the root. Some have not yet
got out of the rut. A parallel case is
that of the farmer who, selling his
marketable potatoes, plants the culls
and expects to obtain good results.
This happy-g -go-lucky method of propa-
eating nursery stock together with
lack of knowledge and care of orchards
in the growing stage is responsible for
so many failures among growers. The
saying that like begets like" IS not
only an adage or d proverb; 1t IS
stern reality.
The third essential is that the land
should be in high state of cultivation
with deep rich soil and good drainage.
The size of tree desired and the early
maturity of the wood can be regulated
by cultivation of the land and proper
irrigation. Many nurserymen are try
ing to raise stock on lmpOverlsed land
entirely unfit for what was expected of
it and in order to get trees Of the re-
quired size, they use too much water
and also use the water too late IN the
season to allow the trees to rlpen thor
oughly before fall frosts attack them.
There are other reasons that would
lead one to condemn nursery stock be-
sides the fact of its being diseased,
stunted, inbred, mongrel, or because
of poor workmanship In grating and
budding.
| say that growers should not seek
bargain counter sales in nursery stock.
Land IS too valuable. Cost OF labor
not only warrants but demands the
best stock that science and skill can
produce.
If | were going to set out an orch
ard, say of Delicious, | would select
the finest specimens of vigorous pro-
ductive tree, say Arkansas Black, pro-
ducing highly cOlored apples. | would
select the finest specimens when the
apples were fully matured. would
care for the seeds of these and at the
proper season | would plant them.
When the seedlings were one year old !
would select scions of tree of equal
quality of Delicious and graft into the
root stocks of the seedlings. firmly
believe that this method would do
away with so many unsightly varla-
tions and failures in orchard culture
and that the results therefrom would
Justify the extra cost and labor IN
volved.
/ could go deeper into the subject
and furnish details and illustrations,
thus perhaps making my contention
clearer, but | feel that | have already
taken up too much space. In conclu-
sion, | would say that it is hard for
some people to believe in that which
they do not understand. but TO all
would recommend that they do little
thinking and experimenting, and to re-
member the quotation of Lord Byron:
'Tis strange but true;
For truth is always strange,
Stranger than fiction.