iJ20 TBANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTUEAL 



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2nd. Is the "seed question " now being discussed by the horti- 

 culturists of the State, one o£ vital interest to the development of 

 such an apple ? 



Answer — Mr. Periara — The idea seems to have become preva- 

 lent, that the stock upon which to graft, must be grown from 

 selected aeed taken from hardy varieties of apples. This is a mistake. 

 In the first place, there is no other way to get our seed for apple 

 seedlings, than from cider-mills where good, bad and indifferent 

 apples are ground up. Secondly, seed taken from cider apples are, 

 as a rule, as well developed as any. When it comes to the produc- 

 tion of new varieties, if you want to get some particular strain, you 

 must make your selection and then cross-fertilize in the blossom 

 with some other selected sort, picking varieties that appear to be 

 adapted to each other. Save the seed of the fruit obtained from 

 this cross, and you may get a variety which will contain the quali- 

 ties you are seeking. 



Mr. Cotta — I do not consider that the apple seed imported from 

 France produce as hardy seedlings as seed obtained from our* native 

 trees, for the reason that the French seed is saved from seedling 

 trees grown in a more mild climate than our own. 



Mr. L. Woodard — -I don't think the seed has anything to do 

 with the hardiness of our trees. The condition of the wood when 

 the tree goes into winter is what determines the result. One that 

 grows late, and the wood is green when cold weather sets in, will 

 surely winter-hurt, while another that has its wood well ripened 

 early in the fall will, in most instances, pull through the winter in 

 good shape. 



Mr. Sanders — Is it not a fact that the varieties we have so 

 improved have parted with some of their original hardiness ? I 

 doubt very much, at best, if we have increased their hardiness in our 

 efforts to improve size and quality. 



J. y. Cotta — I don't wish to have the impression go out that I 

 advocate top-grafting as a method of increasing the hardiness of 

 the stock. If we can improve the stem, that is what we are after, 

 as that is the part of the tree which most often gets damaged by 

 the winter. It is seldom that the root hurts. 



