A practical treatise on the management of fruit trees; with descriptive lists of the most valuable fruits for general cultivation adapted to the interior of New England

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1849 Excerpt: ... SECTION I. DIRECT MODE OF MULTIPLYING, BY DIVIDING THE ORIGINAL TREE. There are two specifically different modes of accomplishing this. The first mode is by Suckers: the second, by Cuttings and Layers. I. SUCKERS. A sucker is a portion of a tree growing up from the root or from a portion of the trunk which is below tho surface of the soil. By digging down carefully and cutting it off with a portion of the root attached, and setting it out at the proper season of transplanting, it will become a tree of itself. It will not, however, possess so thrifty and«vigorous a habit as that of its parent,--although suckers sometimes do make very handsome trees. Another objection to auckers is, that they have a strong disposition to waste their energies in generating other suckers. Still a third objection lies in the fact that they are very apt to retain whatever diseases or infirmities infect the tree from which they may be taken. Whether therefore for fruit-bearing purposes or as stocks for grafting, they are in general by no means especial favorites with the careful and judicious cultivator. Exceptions must, however, be made in favor of the Vine, the Quince, and a very few other fruit-bearing plants, which will be noticed in their proper place. H. CUTTINGS AND LAYERS. A cutting is a bud. or a twig (containing two or more buds) of the previous season's growth, cut from a tree. This being planted, if a twig. partly, and, if a bud, wholly under ground, will, under favorable circumstances, take root and itself become a tree. It is possible with proper care to multiply all fruit trees and shrubs in this way. But, practically, this mode is chiefly confined to the Vine, the Quince, the Currant, the Gooseberry and a very few others. Twig-cnUings should be cut and set ear...