EVERGREENS IN DENMARK. 381 
eties of plants were tried and failed until the mountain pine was given a 
chance. It does well on the very poorest soil, and on account of its spread- 
ing habit it quickly covers the ground and prepares it for the mountain 
spruce. 
The tar of the mountain pine is already an article of export from Den- 
mark and from this tree is derived acetic acid, used for making vinegar and 
for dyeing cotton; while its wood is used for the manufacture of chairs and 
charcoal. The mountain pine is greatly in demand, being of extra value. 
The forester of Denmark is very cautious when selecting his seed. Our 
farmers in Minnesota have learned that it is good policy for them to plant 
Minnesota grown trees, but few understand how important it is that the 
seed from which those trees were grown should have been raised at home 
or in some locality with similar climatic conditions. I would rather have 
a red cedar grown in Tennessee from Minnesota seed than one grown in 
Minnesota from seed gathered in Tennessee. The best tree, though, 
would be one grown in Minnesota from Minnesota seed. The Danes un- 
derstand this, and that is why their leading seed house states in its catalogue 
the location where each variety of seed was gathered. 
When a political candidate solicits my vote, I reckon that I have a right 
to know something about his views and principles before voting; but I sub- 
mit to you that, if that is so, I have the same right before I buy a tree to 
know where that tree was grown and from what seed. Ii I fail to inquire it 
is not to my credit. 
HARDY APPLE STOCKS, ETC. 
PROF. N. E. HANSEN, D. D. 
(Extracts from a letter to Wyman Elliot.) 
“The specimen crab you send is evidently one of the hybrid crabs, as 
th calyx is persistent. Its value for stocks would have to be proven by 
experiment. If the tree is perfectly hardy, so much so that the seedlings 
will be hardy the first winter after sowing the seed, even when the tempera- 
ture reaches 40 degrees below zero, with the ground bare of snow or mulch 
of any kind, then it will probably be safe to use. The reason why I insist 
so much that perhaps the pure seedlings of Pyrus baccata will be better 
than any of the hybrids is that it is a thoroughbred,—and such are always 
more fixed in their characteristics than any of the mixed parentage. Hence. 
it is evident that pure-bred seedlings of the primitive Siberian will be apt 
to give more uniform results than any of the hybrids. As you go north, 
also, the pure Siberians will be hardier than the hybrids. Another thing, 
I think pure-bred seed will germinate more uniformly, as a rule, than hybrid 
seed. I have heard of some evidence to this effect, but the whole subject 
needs to be worked out by experiment. German and Russian experience 
favor Pyrus baccata. These are represented in cultivation in the west by the 
old Cherry crab and the Yellow and Red Siberian. 
“I am saving the seed of many varieties of crabs this year and hope 
to do my full share in settling this greatest of all questions in the apple line 
for the northwest. 
“Your question in regard to the cherry is very interesting. The law or 
general rule in this matter is that all cherries with flowers in racemes will 
not inter-bud or inter-graft with any of the kinds whose flowers are in 
clusters. Of course, they can be made to unite for a time, but the union is 
