Abstract
THE war-time concentration on food production and the turning over of many fruit-tree nurseries to shortterm crops has resulted in an acute shortage of young trees to meet the needs of the expanding industry and the private garden alike. In addition, much experienced labour has been lost to the industry in general, so there is real need to make known in a practical form the most up-to-date methods of propagation and the accumulated experience of orchard management. These objects are admirably achieved by two recent pamphlets issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (“Apples and Pears”. Bull. 133. Pp. 119+18 plates. 2s. 6d. net; and “Fruit Tree Raising: Rootstocks and Propagation”. Bull 135. Pp. 46+2 plates. 1s. 3d. net. London: H.M. Stationery Office). The arts of budding and grafting can only be fully acquired by observing the green-fingered dexterity of the experienced propagator, and proficiency and speed are only achieved after long practice (100 buds or 70 grafts an hour are said to be good averages); nevertheless, Bulletin No. 135 does as much as can be done by precept. It includes, inter alia, chapters on the classification and uses of rootstocks; propagation from seed, cuttings, stools and layers; tree shaping; control of pests and diseases, and a useful calendar of nursery operations.
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Fruit Production and Propagation. Nature 158, 941 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/158941b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/158941b0