ROOT-KILLING OF APPLE TREES. 289 
shallow soils, and we have a dry and shallow soil. In another book he says 
the reason the use of the pyrus baccata is preferred as stock is because 
‘they grow weaker than ordinary apple seedlings, and yet they grow stronger 
than ordinary stock. The pyrus baccata is used extensively in Europe. I 
think in future orchards in Dakota and northern Minnesota we will have to 
be satisfied with smaller trees and plant them close together; in that way 
we will get earlier bearing trees. The point I want to make is that the 
whole root system must be of the Siberian crab. We had German ex- 
perience and Russian experience, but this is the American experience. We 
want to put our shoulders to the wheel and solve this problem. It may be 
the Transcendent seedling will do, and it may be the Siberian seedling will 
do. As far as our condition in South Dakota is concerned we will begin 
at the bottom. 
Mr. Sherman, (Iowa): What is the objection to the ordinary method? 
Prof. Hansen: They root-kill every winter. 
Mr. Sherman: I mean on this crab stock? 
Prof. Hansen: The complaint of the too dwarfish growth of the tree. 
The only experience I have been able to learn of was that of Mr. Patten. 
He has had some experience in that line, and there are certain Wisconsin 
people who, about thirty years ago, worked them as root-grafts. Mr. Wil- 
cox, of La Crosse, approved this method, but he preferred the budding 
method. I have not been able to get at the full results. They use the pyrus 
baccata and the pyrus prunifolia. It is not the method they use in Russia. 
Mr. Sherman: What should we have the whole root system on? 
Prof. Hansen: On the Siberian crab. The only objection is the small- 
ness of the tree. The seedling is already established. I saw those trees in 
the nursery in northern Russia, and they were fine trees, but in southern 
Russia they use the ordinary seedling. 
Mr. Dartt: Was there any snow on the ground when your trees root- 
killed? 
Prof. Hansen: Not a bit. 
_Mr. Dartt: Any crab apple killed? 
Prof. Hansen: My Virginia crab rooted from the scion, and I had a 
good thousand; they all root-killed. All the scion roots were’ dead. 
Mr. Sherman: About your Virginia crabs, do you know they were 
rooted from the scion? 
Prof. Hansen: I do not know for certain, but I am satisfied in my own 
mind they were. 
Mr. Lyman: Most crabs root from the scion very readily. 
Mr. Elliot: You spoke of budding those trees; is there any objection? 
Prof. Hansen: Budding is not any better than grafting; that is the 
nursery way. 
Mr. Wedge: The objection to root-grafting Siberian crabs is the same, 
and for the same reason we object to cellar grafting of the plum. 
Prof. Hansen: That is all. It is simply the means of having the seedling 
established in the ground. If you do not want to bud you can graft next 
spring. 
Mr. Dartt: Do you know that the crab root will not kill as quick as the 
common apple root? 
Prof. Hansen: I heard only of one instance, and that was an accidental 
experience. The point I wish'to emphasize is that the Siberian has a per- 
