214 TEANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTUKAL 



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important part in the improvement of onr common apple. The 

 hardiness of the former cannot be questioned, and though it will 

 never displace the common apple where it can be successfully grown, 

 there are some varieties among them that make excellent stocks for 

 top-working certain kinds of the latter. 



The advent of the Russian type into this country is of compara- 

 tively recent date. It was first imported in quantity eighteen years 

 ago, since which time frequent importations have been made, so the 

 entir-^ number of varieties on trial at present amount to about 500. 

 Much has been expected from these foreign sorts; as yet, compara- 

 tively little has been realized. Many western horticulturists had 

 hoped to soon displace our entire old assortment with these full- 

 blooded Russians, but here again disappointment falls to our lot. 

 While some quite valuable varieties have been found among them, 

 the vast majority has proved unworthy of cultivation. As to hardi- 

 ness the race stands far ahead of our old sorts; as to other qualifica- 

 tions it appears decidedly inferior. Many are shy, very shy bearers, 

 many others are badly pre-disposed to blight; others again of noto- 

 riously poor quality, and the vast majority only summer and fall 

 apples, no satisfactory winter apples having yet been found among 

 them. What good we may be able to get out of the more recent 

 importations from the interior steppe region of that country, and 

 which have not yet fruited here, time can only determine. Mean- 

 while we shall have to " possess our souls in patience," 



As to the propagation of the apple-tree there are several modes 

 practiced and, as might be expected, the advocates of each of these 

 claim superiority for their preferences. Unfortunately, some of 

 these have been run into a sort of " hobbies " by tree peddlers and 

 are used as baits for catching " suckers." The general practice has 

 been that of root-grafting, on sections of the root, by making about 

 two four-inch cuts from a first-class seedling of one year's growth, 

 the scion being cut the same length. If our trees could be depended 

 upon for hardiness, this mode of propagation would be entirely sat- 

 isfactory; as it is, it does not produce a reliable, long-lived tree of 

 our old sorts. 



Another idea is the use of a short root, two inches only, and a 

 long, six-inch scion. For this, it is claimed, that the scion will emit 

 roots itself, which places the tree practically on its own roots and 

 increases its hardiness. As to plausibility, this idea seems correct 

 enough, but practically considered, it does not hold good to any 

 great extent. Some kinds do root readily from the scion, while 

 others do not; and even if they all did, where is the proof of superior 

 hardiness ? Do you suppose "old Boreas" cares the snap of your 

 finger whether your original root section was two, three or four 

 inches long ? When the arctic waves of our recent test winters 

 struck trees thus propagated, if of tender or half hardy sorts, they 



