96 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



order to propao^ate nursery stock. The ordinary fruit grower is 

 wasting his time in trying to improve his fruit by bud selection. 



The value of "pedigree" nursery stock may be proven or dis- 

 proven in two ways. First, by experimentation, and second by 

 reasoning. Let us glance a moment at some of the experiments 

 which have been conducted to prove the value of pedigree stock, 

 or "bud selection," as we shall hereafter call it. 



George T. Powell of Ghent, New York, is probably one 

 of the leading exponents of bud selection in propagating fruit 

 trees. Let us see what he says. "After twenty-one years' ex- 

 perience in the study of bud variation and in using it in the 

 propagation of fruit trees I believe that there is value in the 

 principle and in its application. I have a King orchard that was 

 top-worked upon Spy bodies with scions selected from a tree 

 that stood for thirty years without any effect from disease, 

 especially the canker which is so injurious to that tree. Ordi- 

 narily an orchard of King trees, as propagated from the nursery 

 row, become badly broken in from ten to fifteen years. I 

 chose this method to prove the value of selection, and from 

 the one tree which evidently had constitutional vitality and 

 resistant power against diseases above most trees. 



*T have at present a King orchard that has not a trace of 

 disease in it, and which has borne sixteen consecutive crops of 

 excellent fruit, I think there is particular value in bud selec- 

 tion and I believe that buds carry with them specific qualities. 

 However, the tree must be well nourished. The two things 

 must always go together, selection and good culture. After 

 thirteen years of work along this line and with three generations 

 of trees so propagated, now bearing fruit, I feel convinced that 

 the principle is correct, and that it is working out not only highly 

 interesting but most satisfactory results." 



Let us examine the facts in the above statements : First, the 

 selected buds were all worked upon Northern Spy stock, which 

 is often used as a stock for King trees to avoid certain diseases. 

 Secondly, there is no check to show that buds from other King 

 trees worked upon Spy stock and under the same cultural con- 

 ditions might not have given equally good results. But even 

 granting that there was value in this certain instance of bud 

 selection, is it safe to draw generalities from this one case? I 

 think not. I do not deny that much good may come from bud 



