AN IM- PROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLYING OR FACILITATING AND ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF VINES, FRUIT TREES, AND OTHER TREES, SHRUBS, OR PLANTS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Ludwig William Ossenkop at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1878.
LUDWIG WILLIAM OSSENKOP, of Hanover, Germany, now of 8, Southampton
Buildings, London, formerly Head Gardener to the Emperor of Russia. "AN IM-
PROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLYING OR FACILITATING AND
ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF VINES, FRUIT TREES, AND OTHER TREES, SHRUBS,
OR PLANTS."
My Invention relates to a novel method of multiplying or increasing and accele-
rating the growth of vines, fruit trees, and the like, which are thereby caused to
produce in two or three weeks more and stronger roots than they would produce in
twelve months by the ordinary methods of growing trees or shrubs.
The said Invention will be found very advantageous in the case of grape vines
and all kinds of fruit trees. It obviates the necessity of grafting, as the plants
grown according to this Invention will in one season grow into strong trees.
The said Invention may also be advantageously adopted in the cultivation of
forest trees, whose growth will be thereby greatly accelerated. And it will be found
very useful in the case of trees, shrubs, or plants which have been injured by car-
riage or transport from distant parts.
The said Invention is based upon the principle of keeping the tree, plant, or
shrub in an inverted position to concentrate its vitality in the roots until the latter
have grown to the desired size, number, and strength, and then planting the said
tree, plant, or shrub in its natural position. And the said Invention comprises
suitable apparatus which I have especially devised for this purpose.
In practising this Invention I use a box, case, or frame, which has a perforated
partition board arranged to form an upper and lower compartiment, or to form a
compartment above a hole or space of suitable size in the ground, or in any suitable
structure.

page_text: The trees or twigs to be reared are to be put through the said perforated board
into the lower compartment, space, or hole, in an inverted position, that is to say,
with the roots upward, care being taken that neither the branches, nor the stems
of the trees or twigs thus inverted touch the sides of the said compartment or
hole. The object of the perforations is to steady the trees in this inverted
position.
The trees may be put singly through the perforations, or in clusters tied
together.
The upper surface of the perforated board is to be well covered with earth so that
neither air nor light may enter the hole below. This earth must completely sur-
round the roots or upper end of the twigs above the perforated board. The earth
should be slightly pressed, as usual in planting, and its upper surface should coin-
cide with the level of the ground.
In the case of trees that have roots injured by transport, the earth above the
perforated board should neither be too dry nor too damp, and should be of the best
kind that can be obtained. The injured roots should be cleaned, and any bad parts
should be removed.
Should the sun be too powerful the earth above the perforated board should be
shaded; and at the time of rain the whole must be well covered so that no water
may enter the space below the perforated board.
The inverted portion of the tree or plant within the closed hole must be kept in
a sleeping state, which will concentrate the vitality of the tree in the root. In
favorable weather it will be found that the trees or plants within ten to fourteen
days will have very strong and healthy roots; they may then be taken from the
hole, and may be transplanted according to the usual way.
In some instances I take twigs of fruit trees and tie them together in large
numbers. The twigs of apple, pear, plum, cherry, apricot, and peach trees should
be so cut as to have three or four eyes left.
In inverting the twigs care should be taken that one eye be immediately below
the perforated board, and one eye above it.
.
The twigs may project slightly above the perforated board; the quantity of earth
above the upper end of the twigs must not be more than a few inches deep.
In the case of hot-house plants which have suffered by transport or by careless
treatment, I remove the said plants from their pots. Their roots are then to be
loosened, and any defective portions are cut away. They are now placed in an
inverted position in the aforesaid apparatus, whose lower portion must be con-
structed to exclude light and air. The roots above the perforated board are to be
surrounded by light, good, and nourishing soil, and the box is so constructed that
the upper extremities of the roots may be covered with earth about two or three
inches deep. The upper surface must have the same level as that of the garden or
other ground in which the said apparatus is placed. A. shading cover should be
erected and so arranged that the exhalations of the soil may not be interfered
with.
I apply my Invention to hot beds for multiplying plants as follows, that is to
say, I provide the hot bed with two or more windows slightly inclined. The upper
portion of the windows is advantageously placed for receiving the sun's heat. There
is no artificial heating, and the bed is only used during summer. A passage is
made along the middle of the structure and in the wooden walls; both sides of the
passage are provided with movable windows, through which any hot air may be.
allowed to escape. I provide this apparatus with movable wooden partitions to
facilitate access to the beds. One side of the said apparatus is provided with a
board perforated with holes varying in size according to the size of the pots
employed.
In some cases the twigs are tied together, inverted and surrounded with a wooden
frame or ring. Each bundle thus surrounded with the wooden frame or ring is'
placed into a pot, care being taken that the frame fits well into the pots, and that

page_text: there is ample space below. the frame. The pots are then placed in the perforated
board which forms the base of the hot bed. The interstices between the pots
standing in the perforated board are to be filled with earth so as to reach the rims
of the pots. Thus the whole will form a smooth surface.
A portion of the multiplying bed may be used as a nursery where the twigs are
planted when the tender roots have grown.