254 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have rather more branching roots, but the difference will be so small 

 that in the orchard it will not be noted after the first year. With 

 most varieties, the trees grown from the second, third, and 

 fourth cuts will be noticeably smaller and will have poorer roots. In 

 the case of some of the stronger-growing kinds, like the Red Astrachan 

 and Ben Davis, the trees will after the first year send out a number 

 of roots from and above the graft, which soon get ahead of those from 

 the root, so that in their case the whole root has but little, if any, 

 effect. Many western nurserymen prefer to use the short root, as they 

 claim that when the whole root is used the trees make a late growth 

 in the nursery and are often winter-killed. It is true that the stocks 

 cost less when piece roots are used, and the trees can be more cheaply 

 planted and dug; but as a rule more trees can be sold from an acre 

 and they will often grade larger, so that, after all, the cost of 

 growing these trees will not be much more than when piece roots are 

 used. 



From our experiments it would seem best to use a generous length 

 of root at any rate and in no case make more than two cuts. 



The question is often asked as to the relative value of budded, whole- 

 root, and piece- root trees, and it may be stated that as a rule budded trees 

 one year from bud are often as large and on some accounts are preferable 

 to grafted trees that are two years from the graft. Whole-root trees are 

 also generally larger than piece-root trees, but between budded and whole- 

 root grafted trees there is little difference, and they are as a rule to be 

 preferred to those that are grown from piece roots. 



Top-Worked Trees. — In case of some of the weak-growing sorts and 

 those that are not entirely hardy when budded or root-grafted, it has been 

 found that they will do much better when they are top-worked, or grafted 

 at the height of four feet upon some strong, hardy stock. This may be 

 done in the nursery, but as a rule they can not be purchased in this form 

 and it becomes necessary either to purchase trees of the kind it is proposed 

 to use as the stock and after growing them for a year, either in the garden 

 or planted in the orchard, to whip-graft them with the desired sort. 



Dwarf Apples. — While only desirable for growing as curiosities, or in 

 case one has but a limited amount of ground, it may be well to explain 

 just what is meant by dwarf apple trees. Any variety may be grown in 

 this way, but they differ from standard trees of the same variety by being 

 grafted upon some small-growing species of apple, which tends to so check 

 the growth that the size of the trees is much reduced. When very small 

 trees are desired, the stock selected is the Paradise apple, and when worked 

 upon this the trees are seldom more than four feet in height and bear at 

 an early age; in case a somewhat larger apple is desired the Doucin apple 

 is used as the stock, 



VARIETIES OF APPLE TO PLANT. 



So much depends upon the proper selection of varieties for planting, 

 that it should have careful consideration. If one has a neighbor who is a 

 successful grower of apples upon soil similar to that to be used for 

 planting, it will be well to make a careful study of the varieties as they 

 ripen, and in this way one will be able to determine quite accurately the 

 kinds it will be best to buy. 



