Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1873 [PAGE 135]

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131

In 1871 similar experiments were made with the same variety of apple. We have below a comparison of the growths, etc., of the two years :

Growth Growth inches, 1871. inches, 1872. 21.17 20.44 20.95 22.01 21.00 18.60 27.75 24.50 22.83 20.93 P e r ct. living, 1871.

Per ct. living, 1872. 66.66 83.33 55.00 66.66 73.33 70.00 85.00 75.00 70.00 60.00

1st cut of cion 2d " 3d " 1st " root 2d " 3d " 6 inch roots... 4 2£ "

12.51 11.59 9.63 12.81 12.98 8.96 15.48 17.63 11.58 22.00

52.00 63.00 55.00 72.00 60.00 45.00 65.00 75.00 40.00 20.00

The length of growth and percentage of live grafts was much greater in 1872 than in 1871, which was a very dry and unfavorable year. ' Taking averages we have the following results :

Growth Growth ' P e r ct. in m alive, inches, inches, 1871. 1871. 1872. ! P e r ct alive, 1872.

But or 1st cion... " 2d " . . . " 3d «' . . . " 4th " . . . Collar or 1st root " , 2d " 3d " 4th ' <

12.51 11.59 9.63 11.35 12.81 12.98 8.96 8.21

38.46 36.00 33.93 34.62 40.98 41.50 36.66 25.33

l

52. 63. 55. 40. 72. 60. 45. 30.

30. 30. 26.66 25. 50. 15. 26.66 10.

These figures go to show as the same grafts did in 1871 and as those of 1872, that the nearer the collar of the root and the but of the cion, the better the graft, but with hardly any difference between the first and second cuts of either. The averages of the roots of different lengths of the grafts set in 1871, give the following report for their first and second year : Growth Growth P e r ct. P e r ct. in inched, inches, l i v i n g , l i v i n g , 1871. 1872. 1871. 1872. 6 inch roots 4 " 2i " 2^ *' inverted Root 6 times larger than cion "4 "- " 15.34 17.63 11.18 17.87 14.54 21.75 18.56 42.37 39.61 38.87 42.54 37.37 41.25 42.57

65. 75. 30. 27. 45. 80. 70. 60. 65. 22. 22. 25. 80. 70.

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"

Comparing length of roots wo find, as in 1871, the largest percentage living among the 4 inch roots, but the superior growth from the short roots—when they survived—is maintained from last year ; but the short roots die out considerably more, even in a favorable season. Perhaps deep planting and treading, however, would prevent this. Inverted roots seem to have succeeded better than roots of the same length properly set. This is probably accidental. With roots larger than the cion the best results of all have occurred both in percentage of living grafts and in the length of growth; but this is not borne out by the grafts set in 1872. Probably the results of a wet and dry year would vary in this respect. The extra amount of root would be auite advantageous in drouth, but not specially so in a moist atmosphere.