Show I Apple Trees Trees of the Future May Grow on onI I Their Own Roots Nursery Expert Says Apple trees of the future may grow on their own roots In the past the apple tree was an assembled assembled assembled assem assem- bled article with the producing fruit part grafted to a common root stock such as the French crab variety This was necessary because seedlings seedlings seed seed- lings do not produce true to variety and because cuttings of stem tissues would not take root Now scientists of the United States Department of Agriculture have developed a method by which stem steep cuttings of apple varieties are Induced to form root initials or points of origin on the stem that promptly develop into roots when the cuttings are taken from the tree and set in the soil thus doing away with grafting The process process is described by Dr F F. F E. E Gardner in charge of nursery stock Investigations for the bureau of plant Industry as The growing shoot is wrapped In black tape when it starts to put out leaves in the spring A piece 2 24 i ito to 3 inches long is sufficient to wrap four or five live times spirally around the young shoot as 81 near the growing tip as 81 possible Another method is to place a small black paper tube over the shoot All growth is made in complete or nearly complete absence of light When the cuttings are made in the fall it is only necessary to remove the shoot strip of oft off the tape or paper tube make the basal cut in the etiolated etiolated eti etl area and set it out Why should favor the Uon of roots on stem tissue is a as much in the dark as the process itself says say Doctor Gardner Several practical advantages are seen for the process mainly in that tha it is easier and cheaper to make a cutting than a graft One man can wrap several thousand shoots in one day Too there is a possibility o of avoiding variability common in roo root rootstocks rootstocks stocks of grafted apple trees I In many cases however it i imore Is IsI isI more desirable to grow apple trees tree I on roots other than their own Some Som SomeI I varieties have root systems that tha lack cold hardiness and are susceptible sus BUS to disease and Insect at at- tacks The propagation of such varieties va vas on their own roots would no nobe not be desirable |