452 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



APPLE CULTURE. 



BY HON. N. A. BEECHER OF FLUSHING. 



Presented at the Hint Institute, January 31, 1889. 

 APPLE STOCK — HOW PROPAGATED. 



Sow the seeds in the fall, in well prepared soil, in rows, so they can be 

 properly cultivated and cared for. The next fall the largest of them are 

 taken up and placed in the cellar for root-grafting, and the balance left for 

 another year's growth, when they are treated in the same manner. 



GRAFTING. 



Apples that are feeble in growth, and tender, should be grafted on some 

 hardy, vigorous stock, like the Lyscom, Northern Spy, or Talman Sweet, 

 when two or three years old. 



It is difficult to ascertain whether the graft has more influence on the stock 

 or the stock on the graft. In most cases, the stock seems to have the con- 

 trolling influence, in others it is exactly the reverse. 



Some twenty years ago I set out fifty seedlings, three years old ; two years 

 later they were top-grafted to Canada Red ; twelve of them died and were 

 replaced with Northern Spy. In the same plat of ground I whip-grafted 

 three Lyscoms, two years old, at the time that I grafted the seedlings, and 

 today they are much larger and stronger than those grafted on the seedling 

 stock, and are exceedingly uniform in size and shape, while those on seedling 

 stock vary in size, shape and vigor, some being quite strong and others 

 dwarfish; a few, in time, died outright, and the remainder range from fair 

 to good. 



The best of those top-grafted on seedling stock measure now two feet 

 nine inches in circumference, while the three Lyscom3, top-grafted to Can- 

 ada Red, measured respectively three feet seven and one-half inches, three 

 feet six inches, and three feet six inches in circumference. 



The reason why I prefer the Lyscom, as a stock, to the Northern Spy or 

 Talman Sweet, is that it is just as hardy and is a much stronger grower 

 in root and branch. In fact, it will produce more root in a given space of 

 time than any other variety I ever propagated. 



It is just as necessary to improve the hardiness of tender varieties by top- 

 grafting, as it is to improve feeble growers by the same means. 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 



A most excellent source of information on this subject are the reports of 

 the State Horticultural Society, of Michigan. 



Select the best five or six varieties of winter apples for market, adapted 

 to the climate in which you live, whether the orchard be large or small. 

 Will mention a very good selection for this purpose for Genesee county : 

 Baldwin, Northern Spy, Canada Red, Golden Russet and R. I. Greening. 

 This selection, properly cared for, in due time, will be as good as bank stock 

 or wheat in the bin. 



