ON THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS.
Bulbous roots are propagated by offsets; some growing on the top, others
around the sides. Many plants are propagated by cutting off twigs, and
setting them in earth, so that two or three eyes are covered. To do
this, select a side shoot, ten inches long, two inches of it, being of
the preceding year's growth, and the rest, the growth of the season when
it is set out. Do this, when the sap is running, and put a piece of
crockery at the bottom of the shoot, when it is buried. One eye, at
least, must be under the soil. Water it, and shade it in hot weather.
Plants are also propagated by layers. To do this, take a shoot, which
comes up near the root, bend it down, so as to bring several eyes under
the soil, leaving the top above ground. If the shoot be cut half
through, in a slanting direction, at one of these eyes, before burying
it, the result is more certain. Roses, honeysuckles, and many other
shrubs, are readily propagated thus. They will generally take root, by
being simply buried; but cutting them, as here directed, is the best
method. Layers are more certain than cuttings. For all woody plants,
budding and grafting are favorite methods of propagation. In all such
plants, there is an outer and inner bark; the latter containing the sap
vessels, in which the nourishment of the tree ascends.
The success of grafting, or inoculating, consists in so placing the bud
or graft, that the sap vessels of the inner bark shall exactly join
those of the plant into which they are grafted, so that the sap may pass
from one into the other.
The following are directions for _budding_, which may be performed at
any time from July to September.
Select a smooth place, on the stock into which you are to insert the
bud. Make a horizontal cut, across the rind, through to the firm wood;
and from the middle of this, make a slit downward, perpendicularly, an
inch or more long, through to the wood. Raise the bark of the stock, on
each side of the perpendicular cut, for the admission of the bud, as is
shown in the annexed engraving, (Fig. 40.) Then take a shoot of this
year's growth, and slice from it a bud, taking an inch below and an
inch above it, and some portion of the wood under it. Then carefully
slip off the woody part, under the bud. Examine whether the eye or gem
of the bud be perfect. If a little hole appears in that part, the bud
has lost its root, and another must be selected. Insert the bud, so that
_a_, of the bud, shall pass to a, of the stock; then _b_, of the bud,
must be cut off, to match the cut, b, in the stock, and fitted exactly
to it, as it is this alone which insures success. Bind the parts, with
fresh bass, or woollen yarn, beginning a little below the bottom of the
perpendicular slit, and winding it closely round every part, except just
over the eye of the bud, until you arrive above the horizontal cut. Do
not bind it too tightly, but just sufficient to exclude air, sun, and
wet. This is to be removed, after the bud is firmly fixed, and begins to
grow.
[Illustration: Fig. 40.]
Seed-fruit can be budded into any other seed-fruit, and stone-fruit into
any other stone-fruit; but stone and seed-fruits, cannot be thus
mingled.
Rose bushes can have a variety of kinds budded into the same stock.
Hardy roots are the best stocks. The branch above the bud, must be cut
off, the next March or April after the bud is put in. Apples and pears,
are more easily propagated by ingrafting, than by budding.
Ingrafting is a similar process to budding, with this advantage; that it
can be performed on large trees, whereas budding can be applied only on
small ones. The two common kinds of ingrafting, are whip-grafting, and
split-grafting. The first kind is for young trees, and the other for
large ones.
[Illustration: Fig. 41.]
The time for ingrafting, is from May to October. The cuttings must be
taken from horizontal shoots, between Christmas and March, and kept in a
damp cellar. In performing the operation, cut off, in a sloping
direction, (as seen in Fig. 41,) the tree or limb to be grafted. Then
cut off, in a corresponding slant, the slip to be grafted on. Then put
them together, so that the inner bark of each shall match, exactly, on
one side, and tie them firmly together, with woollen yarn. It is not
essential that both be of equal size; if the bark of each meet together
exactly on _one_ side, it answers the purpose. But the two must not
differ much, in size. The slope should be an inch and a half, or more,
in length. After they are tied together, the place should be covered
with a salve or composition of beeswax and rosin. A mixture of clay and
cowdung will answer the same purpose. This last must be tied on with a
cloth. Grafting is more convenient than budding, as grafts can be sent
from a great distance; whereas buds must be taken in July or August,
from a shoot of the present year's growth, and cannot be sent to any
great distance.
[Illustration: Fig. 42.]
This engraving, (Fig. 42,) exhibits the mode called stock-grafting; _a_,
being the limb of a large tree which is sawed off and split, and is to
be held open by a small wedge, till the grafts are put in. A graft,
inserted in the limb, is shown at _b_, and at _c_, is one not inserted,
but designed to be put in at _d_, as two grafts can be put into a large
stock. In inserting the graft, be careful to make the edge of the inner
bark of the graft meet exactly the edge of the inner bark of the stock;
for on this, success depends. After the grafts are put in, the wedge
must be withdrawn, and the whole of the stock be covered with the thick
salve or composition before mentioned, reaching from where the grafts
are inserted, to the bottom of the slit. Be careful not to knock or move
the grafts, after they are put in.
_Pruning._
The following rules for pruning, are from a distinguished
horticulturist. Prune off all dead wood, and all the little twigs on the
main limbs. Retrench branches, so as to give light and ventilation to
the interior of the tree. Select the straight and perpendicular shoots,
which give little or no fruit, while those which are most nearly
horizontal, and somewhat curving, give fruit abundantly, and of good
quality. Superfluous and ill-placed buds may be rubbed off, at any time;
and no buds, pushing out after Midsummer, should be spared. In choosing
between shoots to be retained, preserve the lowest placed; and, on
lateral shoots, those which are nearest the origin. When branches cross
each other, so as to rub, remove one or the other. Remove all suckers
from the roots of trees or shrubs. Prune after the sap is in full
circulation, (except in the case of grapes,) as the wounds then heal
best. Some think it best to prune before the sap begins to run.
Pruning-shears, and a pruning-pole, with a chisel at the end, can be
procured of those who deal in agricultural utensils.
_Thinning._
As it is the office of the leaves to absorb nourishment from the
atmosphere, they should never be removed, except to mature the wood or
fruit. In doing this, remove such leaves as shade the fruit, as soon as
it is ready to ripen. To do it earlier, impairs the growth. Do it
gradually, at two different times. Thinning the fruit is important, as
tending to increase its size and flavor, and also to promote the
longevity of the tree. If the fruit be thickly set, take off one half,
at the time of setting. Revise in June, and then in July, taking off all
that may be spared. One _very large_ apple to every square foot, is a
rule that may be a sort of guide, in other cases. According to this, two
hundred large apples would be allowed to a tree, whose extent is fifteen
feet by twelve. If any person think this thinning excessive, let him try
two similar trees, and thin one as directed, and leave the other
unthinned. It will be found that the thinned tree will produce an equal
weight, and fruit of much finer flavor.