Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1884 — Propagating Trees. [ARTICLE]

Propagating Trees.

The following novel plan of propagating valuable trees is given by a correspondent of Vick’s Magazine: A year ago last July the latent bud on a lemon tree, which I have, started and rapidly grew to the length of about three feet, and then parted into three or four branches. Last March I girdled this shoot near the main stem, by removing a band of bark about an inch wide, cutting down to the hard wood. Around Aie place thus laid bare I built a small wooden tub, filled it with earth and kept it moist Being abroad during the summer the branch suffered from neglect, but upon my return I found that it had well rooted. Having cut the stem, I potted it, and now it is full of small blossoms, so numerous that it would be troublesome to count them. Thus, eighteen months since it was a latent bud, and in less than a year since it was layered, as described, I have a lemon tree rooted and capable of bearing blossoms and fruit. With equal success I propagated an India rubber tree in the same way, and doubtless it will succeed well with every plant. capable of being girdled. It seems to me that this mode has these advantages: By it the strength of the stem is unimpaired, and thus danger of breaking and need of support is avoided; the supply of nourishment from the parent plant is undiminished, as the upward flow of sap is through the vessels in the new wood, which are not cut, and the return flow, which is by the bark, or between the bark and the stem, is checked entirely in a complete circle around the stem, for the rapid and vigorous formation of roots. By £be usual mode, that of making a slit, the branch is we-kened, the supply of nourishment is one-kalf cut off, and the return flow of sap, by which the roots are formed.*only partly impeded. Suggestion: Might not even large trees which have been accidentally barked be saved by girdling them with a sharp knife, constructing a box around the exposed part, filled with earth, the roots thus formed finally reaching and penetrating the ground? A mound could be raised around the base of the tree high enough to receive the new roots, and lead them down into the ground. In the case of injury to valuable trees their usefulness might thus possibly be prolonged for a time.