North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>]

At 06:21 PM 05/21/2002 +0000, Del wrote:
This is pretty interesting, wouldn't cutting off a peice or pieces  of  the 
bark with a knife do the same thing?   If the toothpick wasn't used would 
the wound heal too soon?

I suppose that bark removal would work.  The person who brought this 
technique to my attention was putting it forward primarily for gardeners 
who were novices in attempting to root cuttings.  I suppose this method is 
perhaps easier, mechanically, for the neophyte than trying to lift bark, 
and insertion of the toothpick ensures that the plant will have to produce 
a significant amount of callus tissue in its attempt to close the defect.

Lucky