STATE POMOLO'ilCAL SOCIETY. 3(J3 



for and now find myself possessed of a largo nnmber of V>v\\ Davis 

 and another kind whicli T will not mention. I want to know 

 what to do. I have come quite a distance to attend this meeting. 

 I want to know about this matter of grafting, es[)eeially the system 

 of donble-Avorking ; perhaps it may be a necessity for me to ro-top 

 some lien Davis. 



The Presidknt. This is a pertinent question. I once had a 

 large number of trees of early varieties, which I wished to change 

 to Ik'llfiowers. I wi'ote to ]\Ir. C. (t. Atkins, Avho is constantly 

 experimenting in such matters. He said it was a mooted point, 

 and many persons thought the character of the stock might more or 

 less influence the scion ; lie was not prepared to say. 



8. Richardson. I should like to have some one give us informa- 

 tion upon that point. I have Duchess of Oldenburgh and Ben Davis 

 trees which I want to graft to other kinds. 



Gilbert. I can say to the gentlemen that they might have done 

 a great deal worse than to plant the Ben Davis, for that is one of 

 the best stocks to start with that can be planted. They have only 

 to change it into what they want. What the}' want will depend in 

 a great measure on soil and location. If they have healthy stock 

 they have not made a mistake, so far. 1 wish to say a word about 

 hardy nursery stock, which I understand to be the subject before 

 the Society for discussion at this time. I no more think of losing 

 an apple tree set out in my orchard than I do of one of mj- family 

 dying. Of course sickness enters our family circles, and people die 

 of old age ; but I sa}', unless some accident befalls it, I no more 

 think of failing to grow an orchard tree than I do of failing with my 

 other crops. It is as certain as m}- hill of corn or as any of my 

 farming operations. It is requisite to start with good stock and 

 put it upon good soil. What is good stock? One that is healthy. 

 We have had a great deal of bad and unhealthy stock sold out of 

 nurseries in the State of Maine. The soil usually devoted to nursery 

 growing, especiall}' the commercial stock, designed for sale, has 

 been alluvial soil ; the better kind of plains land. These lands 

 have been used for that purpose because the soil was mellow and 

 easily worked. AV^hen you come to transplant trees grown on such 

 soil to the high-land soil where our best orchards grow, not a quarter 

 of them will survive in a healthy condition, except in very favorable 

 seasons. No order ever taken in INIaine, for trees grown on such 



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