260 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



of wood or bark harden up, and the first blizzards find the tree 

 ready for them, whether they come early or late. How are the 

 grafted limbs to keep on growing after the crab parts call a halt? 

 They cannot do it. They stop growing with the rest of the tree, 

 and likewise harden up for winter. This, of course, is a theory. 

 Now compare it with observed facts. Take the Walbridge vari- 

 ety of cjmmon or standard apples as an illustration. This is an 

 apple about the size of the Jenniton, but of better quality and a 

 much longer keeper. In fact, it keeps until apples come again, 

 aod is fit for use in March or April. As a tree upon its own 

 body it is thrifty, but in some of our seasons too tender. In this 

 section, it gets injured so as to produce under-sized apple3 some 

 years, and yields in others but small crops. As a variety, it is 

 perhaps a little hardier than the Haas — possibly not so hardy, 

 and is unworthy of cultivation, except on a small scale, for the 

 sake of varietj'. Well, we find this Walbridge growing upon the 

 crab trees as grafts, and showing perfect hardiness after eight 

 years' trial, extending through the two severest winters we ever 

 had (1873 and 1880), bearing heavily, and its fruit twice as large 

 this year as that of the same variety on the Walbridge tree, and 

 much handsomer, because, being on the crab stock, it suffered 

 less injury last winter than the Walbridge on its own stock. Ex- 

 amining other sorts, we find the same or similar facts to sustain 

 the theory. 



We come now to the consideration of other questions belonging 

 to this subject. How are we to manage the tree during the process 

 of transformation, so as to preserve its vigor, promote the proper 

 growth of the grafts, subdue the crab growth and keep out the 

 fire blight? Right here let it be understood, the grafting process 

 does not guarantee success. It only makes it probable. It 

 requires attention and care in behalf of the trees, and in some 

 cases, like other good efforts, it may fail. The worst difficulty is 

 to keep out the fire blight. The best authorities on the blight, 

 while differing somewhat as to its cause, agree in some methods 

 of treatment. Keep the temperature of the new wood as low as 

 possible during the blighting season. The top must be kept open 

 by pruning, to admit a free circulation of air, and the ground 



