Ontario Fruit Explorers

["Biz Storms" <biz.storms@sympatico.ca>]

Hey Tom,

I've finally managed to find bits of time to go back through my saved emails
- trying for 15 to 20 minutes per day - and I discovered this little gem
from you. Being curious about this sort of thing - I just have to ask about
how this experimental turned out. Didn't early settlers also use potatoes as
a way to transport scions?

Cheers, Bizmark


-----Original Message-----
From: labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Olenio
Sent: 11 August 2005 14:56
To: labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [OFEX] Apple Rooting


Hello all,

I am testing one of Wright's Recipes for rooting apples (page 312) of the  
1869 book;

http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moa;cc=moa;sid=7b1d1d93
59b7216be2b85ad14b2b6a05;rgn=full%20text;idno=AJQ0894.0001.001;view=image;se
q=0312

        Bearing of Apple-Trees.
        A horticulturist in Bohemia has a beautiful
        plantation of the best sort of apple-trees,
        which have neither sprung from seeds nor
        grafting. His plan is to take shoots from the
        choicest sorts, insert then in a potato, and
        plunge them into the ground, leaving but an
        inch or two of the shoot above the surface.
        The potato nourishes the shoot whilst it pushes
        out roots, and the shoot gradually springs up
        and becomes a beautiful tree, bearing the
        best of fruit, without requiring to be grafted.

I took a cutting of this years new growth, gave it a "V" point, dipped it  
in rooting hormone, and inserted it tightly into a potato.  Then I put  
cutting/potato combo in a pot of course damp sand.  All leaves were  
removed except for one.

I assume the potato will keep the rooting tip evenly moist, and with luck,  
the potato will not die until the cutting is rooted.

I realize this is air-layering with a twist, but it may prove useful (or  
not).

Regards,
Tom
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