North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jerry Lehman <jwlehmantree@gmail.com>]

On 1/8/2017 8:49 AM, Lee Reich wrote:
> A variation on that is to pt a copper wire loosely around the graft union 
> before you bury/mound it. The scion eventually roots and the wire eventually 
> constricts roots below the graft to kill the rootstock.
Lee,

All of us I'm sure appreciate your experienced input on many subjects. I 
have been a fan of yours for many years. But I do question why would you 
want to kill the original rootstock? In this case it's virginiana on 
virginiana so I don't see any harm. But if you burying the graft union 
of kaki on virginiana I would think you would want to keep the 
virginiana as it is considered a superior rootstock, more fibrous having 
more feeder roots.

My success of using root cuttings to produce a clone has been quite 
good. I like to get roots 1 inch in diameter and about 18 inches long, 
plant them in a vertical position with the top just below the surface of 
the soil.

I would like to relate my experience with Szukis. The fruit is great. 
When Bill Heiman and I 1st acquired Szukis from Claypool which was 
grafted on his A-90, we both made 3 graft son 3 separate under stock's. 
I believe Claypool got his scion from Doug Campbell in Canada who as I 
recall lived very close to the ortet. Of our grafts one graft came back 
pistillate, one came back staminate, and the 3rd bisexual. Also some 
branches will put on both pistillate and staminate flowers. I've often 
wondered if it is actually a cimera, but I don't believe so as seeds 
from Szukis X Szukis produce 100% pistillate trees? If there are any 
nurseries out there that want to sell seedlings that will come back 100% 
females use Szukis X Szukis seed and be sure stray pollen has not gotten 
in. And the fruit of those seedlings is very similar to Szukis.

Jerry Lehman