Improvements connected with the Artificial Propagation of Trees or Plants.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with the Artificial Propagation of Trees
or Plants.
I CHARLES HAMMOND Apple Tree Cottage Pilgrims Hatch Brentwood, Essex,
Market Gardener do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the horticultural art of grafting practised by nursery-
men and others for the propagatiou and multiplication of trees and plants and is au
application of the art not hitherto in use and calculated to offer advantages not
obtainable by any means bitherto devised.
The object of this invention is to minimize the cost of production of trees and
plants, to provide a system of propagation which may be successfully employed
during a longer period of the year (without the aid of artificial heat) than is
possible by the processes at present employed, and to supply a means of combining
the qualities of any two or more suitable varieties of roots upon the same plant,
such as the "crab" and the "paradise" roots for apple trees the "briar
the "manetti" roots for rose trees and similar combinations thus producing an
entirely novel result.
and
Whereas the art of grafting has been practised from very remote times, yet, the
application has been limited to the process of grafting pieces of the twigs or
branches of trees and plants upon the roots or rooted plants of the same or some
other tree or plant.
This invention is a reversal of the order of proceeding hitherto practised and
consists in the principle of inserting pieces of the roots of trees or plants into the
branches or cuttings from the branches of the same or some other tree or plant in
such a manner that they may become united and form distinct plants, and by this
invention I am able to secure the following advantages, that is to say, economy in
the time required to produce trees or plants of a given size. Economy in cost of
production. A lengthened period for successfully performing the operation of
grafting (without the aid of artificial heat). A means of successfully combining
the qualities of any two or more suitable varieties of roots upon the same plant.
According to this invention I employ small roots (these are generally obtainable
during the processes of "root-pruning " and "transplanting," and may be stored
in soil until required). I then take cuttings or branches of the variety of tree or
plant I desire to multiply (these may vary in size from very small twigs to
branches of any reasonable size or thickness and in the case of fruit trees may
consist of "bearing" branches).
To insert the root scions I take a cutting or branch in the left hand and with a
sharp knife held in the right hand I make a short incision in an upward sloping
direction, preferably about 2 inches from the end of the cutting and terminating
immediately below a bud or "eye." I enter the knife again slightly below the
first incision and cut so as to remove a thin wedge-shaped piece of the wood from
the cutting. I then take a small piece of root and having cut its upper end wedge-
shaped I insert it in the incision prepared for it in the cutting and bandage in the
usual way securing the lower end of the root to the end of the cutting, any portion
of root projecting below the cutting I remove and the operation is complete."

page_text: To secure a combination of two or more varieties of roots upon the same plant
I insert a root-scion or scions of each variety into the cutting, either simply
on different sides of the cutting or on opposite sides and at different heights.
I also apply this invention to the process of "layering" that is to say, before
layering a branch of tree or plant I insert a root-scion or scions into the branch at
the point to be brought into contact with the soil, in order that a rooted plant
may be produced in a shorter period than would be the case under the systems
already employed.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1896.
CHARLES HAMMOND,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with the Artificial Propagation of Trees
or Plants.
I, CHARLES HAMMOND, of Apple Tree Cottage, Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood,
in the County of Essex, Market Gardener do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in the horticultural and floricultural art of
grafting as practised by nurserymen and others for producing upon one rooted
tree, plant or shrub, or a suitable branch or branches thereof the qualities of two
or more varieties of the same or other fruit or flower, such for instance as the crab
and the paradise for apple trees, and the briar and the manetti for rose trees, and
similar and other combinations, and has for its objects.
(1) To minimize the cost of the production of such and similar and other
combinations.
(2) To provide a system of propagation that may be successfully employed
during a longer period of the year than has been possible by the processes hitherto
employed, except by the application of artificial heat.
It has hitherto been customary in the art and process of grafting to cut from a
branch or twig of a growing plant or tree of one kind or variety, a small eye
or shoot, and to insert such cutting into an incision made in some suitable
part of a rooted tree or plant of another kind (and I am not aware that prior
to my said invention any better or other means has been known or used) and as
this process can be carried out only during certain months in the year, and even
then subject to certain conditions of the weather, temperature and other sur-
roundings, it has been found in practice that only a certain percentage of such
grafts survive, unless artificial heat be employed, and as scarcely any two growers
employ absolutely the same means in the after care of the said grafts, it is in
evidence that the art or process as at present exercised savours largely of
experiment. My invention is designed to overcome this uncertainty and to provide
a method and means that with reasonable care is almost infallible.
In carrying my invention into effect I reverse the order of the before mentioned
process, that is to say, from the roots of the variety of tree or plant, which I
desire to use as a stock (and such small roots are generally obtainable during
the processes of "root pruning" and "transplanting," and which may be stored
in suitable soil until required) I cut a small scion or graft of suitable size and
shape, and insert the same in a branch, or a cutting from a branch of a growing
tree, shrub or plant of a like or different kind (which in the case of fruit trees
may be a bearing branch) in which I have previously made a suitable incision
or cut in an upward and preferably sloping direction, below and near to a bud

page_text: or eye, and from the wood exposed by such incision or cut I remove a thin and
preferably wedge-shaped portion, and in the cavity thus made I place the portion
removed from the before mentioned root, when the lips of the said incision may
be closed upon the said root scion and be bound and bandaged in the usual way,
when the operation is completed, and I find in practice that such root scion, by
reason of the superabundance of sap therein, readily assimilates with the life
substance of the said branch or cutting, and forms itself into a distinct branch or
plant as if part of the same, and this notwithstanding that the temperature and
other atmospheric conditions may be such as would preclude the exercise of the
process of grafting hitherto employed unless accompanied by the use of artificial heat,
and I am thus enabled to pursue my process for a longer period of the year, with
less after attention, and consequently at a lesser cost than heretofore.
To secure a combination of two or more varieties of root scions or grafts upon
the one tree, plant or shrub or a branch of or a cutting from the same, I may insert
a root scion or scions of each variety into the same incision, or into other incisions
upon the same or opposite sides of the same branch or cutting, and at different
heights.
I may also employ the principle of my invention to the process of "layering,"
that is to say, before layering a branch of a tree or plant, I insert therein a root
scion or scions of the same or other variety or varieties at a point of the said
branch that is to be brought in contact with the ground, in order that a rooted plant
or plants may be produced in a shorter period of time than would be the case under
the system hitherto employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,
1st. In an improved process in the art of horticultural and floricultural grafting,
the use and application of the herein described method and means, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2nd. In an improved process for grafting fruit and flowers, the employment of
the herein described method of taking such graft or scion from the root of one tree,
plant, or shrub, and grafting the same upon a branch or cutting of or from another
tree, plant or shrub of the same or other variety substantially as herein set forth.
3rd. The improved process of grafting as set forth in the preceding claim, and
the application of same to the branches of trees, shrubs and plants during the
process known as "layering," substantially as aud for the purposes herein
described.
10h do of Antober 1896
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Loudon, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.