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Budding of the Mango
Told by One Who Has Had Much Experience
By P. J. WEBSTER, in Miami Metropolis.
SHIELD-BUDDING of the mango has been successfully done in Florida for at least six years, experiments in the propagation of this fruit. The writer first experimented with this method with some success in 1904. The percentage of successful buds was, however, so low that he did not then feel justified in calling this method to the attention of the public and the experimental work was temporarily suspended. More recent experimentation has been confirmed by a few men interested in the problem, in some instances meeting with remarkable success. The success achieved by Mr. Orange Pound, Cocoa- nut Grove, Fla., deserves special mention, not only for the difficulties that he has encountered, but also for the public spirited manner in which he has made his data at the disposal of the writer for publication for the information of the other mango-growers. It is not too much to say that Mr. Pound's discovery marks an epoch in the mango industry, not only in Florida, but in other parts of the world. Mr. Pound recently reported that by this method, over 85 per cent of healthy transplants, a lot of 200 plants budded, a mass grafting.
Success depends on the prime condition of the stock plant and that the sap is flowing freely; the buds should be selected from well matured wood that is still green and smooth, of the first, second and third flushes from the terminal bud, and cut rather large, three to five centimeters long (and a quarter to nearly two inches.) The leaf-buds at the base of the leaf stem at the bud should not be pruned off, but allowed to remain on the wood until it is shed voluminously. If the leaf-stem, called a petiole, as it is called, is cut too near the bud, sap frequently gain entrance through the wound and destroy the bud. It is possible that the leaves can to advantage be removed on the tree while still remaining on the tree and the budwood used after the petioles have dropped and the buds are well healed. It appears to be equally satisfactory to push the bud up toward. To facilitate the insertion of the bud, it is well to trim off the edge of the horizontal cut. In tying the bud, allow remnant of the petiole to stick out between the strands of the tape and push the bud from the sun and rain. A square piece of wax cloth held in place is one of the strands of the tape above the bud. It is essential that the bud should be inserted at a point in the stock where the bark is of about the same age as the budwood, i.e., gray and smooth, and the work done when the plant is in flush. When the union has been affected, which will be in the course of two to three weeks, the stock should be pruned off about 13 cm., 6 inches, above the bud. The buds are sometimes very dilatory about starting to grow, in order to force them out the plants should, after the buds have taken, frequently be gone over and all adventive buds rubbed off.
"In top-working old seedling trees the same principle obtains. Part of the main branches are then pruned off to 3 to 6 cm. from the trunk and the resulting sprouts are budded and treated in the manner already described. As the buds increase in size, the active top is gradually removed; care should be taken, however, not to prune the tree too severely at one time, as it is then apt to become permanently injured and die from such treatment.
"Up, to some extent, employing another method called by the originator 'slice-budding' matured budwood sufficiently old as to have turned brownish or grayish, is also used in top-making seedling trees planted at stake. The back of the part of the stock where the bud is inserted, or more correctly placed, should exhibit the same character. For all practical purposes this is identical with the chip budding method employed in the propagation of pecans. The work is performed by cutting a slice or clip of bark and wood from the stock in the same manner as if the removed part was to be used as a bud; a shield laid just large enough to cover the slice or clip, a snug fit is now cut from the budstock and inserted in the same manner as the usual way. In using either of the methods of budding described above, the stock should at the time of budding be girdled 15 to 20 cm. 6 to 9 inches above the bud.
"Mr. J. E. Higgins, horticulturist of the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, Honolulu, Hawaii, in Bulletin 20 of that station describes a method of shield-budding which he has recently tried with success there. An unusually large bud, 75 to 90 mm. 3 to 3½ inches long, is recommended, and that the buds be inserted on well matured stock where the bark is rough and brownish, using budwood of the same character."
SEEDLING AVOCADOS.
Wishing information as to the action of seedling avocados in the Hawaiian Islands, where that fruit has been a favorite for many years, Mr. Ernest Braumton wrote Mr. J. E. Higgins, of the Hawaii Experiment Station at Honolulu, and from him he has the following:
"It is difficult to state what percentage of our seedling avocado trees turn out to be of clear commercial value. If you mean by this, what proportion turn out to be superior to those which we already have and which would, under proper culture while for further propagation, the percentage would be quite low. I have no accurate records from our station plantings, since these are now just beginning to come into bearing. The percentage of good trees is entirely too small to warrant anyone starting a seedling orchard as a commercial proposition.
"However, we have found that the resultant trees do not bear fruit resembling that of the parent as closely as do seedling orchards of citrus resemble their parents. There is a very wide variation. Seeds from purple fruit may come green, and vice versa; those from a round or pear shaped fruit may be elongated. There is quite as wide a variation in the quality of the fruit.
"We have succeeded in growing some plants from cuttings, but we do not regard this as a practical means for the propagation of the avocado. In budding we get from 80 to 90 per cent of successful buds on strong seedling, nursery or orchard trees when about one and a half or two years old. The best time to bud is March, which may be budded when it is a year old. In top working orchard trees the percentage may fall to as low as 50 per cent, but we expect between 60 and 75.
"We bud in nearly every month in the year if the trees are in such condition that the bark is not silky. The best season, however, are from January to July, and the earlier in this period the better. Our trees begin to put forth new growth about December, and bud in the first January.
"I am glad to learn of your observations on avocado in California, and to find that the climate is not too tropical in character for your climate. If it proves to be adapted to any large areas in California, it might certainly become an important industry."—J. E. Higgins.
Finally, do not mistake to plant seedlings exceeding with the expectation of working over.
