VARIETIES OF APPLES FOR THE COMMERCIAL ORCHARD. 257 



Mr. Yahnke: This root-killing of the Ben Davis was not 

 due to the Ben Davis itself, but it was due to the stock upon which 

 it was grafted. I have Ben Davis on their own roots. Every tree 

 of those Ben Davis in the nursery not on their own roots died 

 down to the ground, but those I had in the nursery that I started 

 from the scion all lived, and those I planted. If you plant the 

 Ben Davis you want the tree to take root from the scion. If you 

 will take the trouble to have a short root and a long scion and 

 then plant them deep you will get ninety per cent on their own 

 roots, and if you get Ben Davis on their own roots it will take 

 something worse than a Minnesota winter to kill them out in the 

 roots. But you have got to grow them bush form, and you will 

 have a good bearing tree that will please you. 



Mr. S. D. Richardson: Perhaps the cutting down of the tree 

 has a little something to do with the sprouting from the roots. 

 I have seen cottonwoods chopped down in the winter that did not 

 come up again. 



Mr. Kenney: I would like to inquire if it is not generally 

 understod at this time that the common apples grafted on Siberian 

 crab root is not more certain to live than if put on apple roots. 

 I would like to have some information on that point. I suppose 

 Prof. Hansen can give us some light. 



Prof. N. E. Hansen: This question opens up a large field for 

 discussion and experiment. Some problems yet unsolved must 

 first be solved. As already stated in Bulletin 65 of the South 

 Dakota Experiment Station, the early experience in Wisconsin and 

 Iowa indicates that piece root-grafting is not advisable with the 

 crab root. Neither is top-grafting on Siberian crab limbs advisable 

 in the long run. The whole root — everything beneath the surface 

 of the ground — should be Siberian for a fair test of this hardy 

 stock question. This method has proven successful in Russia and 

 has solved the root-killing problem there. Dr. Lucas, a noted 

 German authority, also mentions the Pyrus baccata (pure Siberian 

 crab) root favorably for severe soils and situations'. A letter I 

 received this year from a nurseryman at Moscow, Russia, says this 

 crab stock for the apple causes earlier fruitfulness, smaller tree in 

 orchard, and is of superior hardness, but is not necessary where 

 they are always sure of snow covering for the roots. In southern 

 Russia, where they can grow French pears, they use common apple 

 seedling as stocks for the apple. I have tried seedlings of Duchess, 

 Hibernal and many other apples, and all root-killed in the winter 

 of 1898-99. Seedlings of the native wild crab, from Des Moines, 

 Iowa, winter-killed also. Long scions and short roots on com- 

 mon apple seedlings fail with me in severe winters, even scion roots 

 of Hibernal, Charlamoff, Duchess and Wealthy. In fact, we must 

 recognize the fact that for a considerable area of the Northwest 

 we must go entirely outside of the common apple species, Pyrus 

 Malus, for a hardy stock. The severest cold sometimes comes 

 with no snow on the ground. As for the practice of piece-root- 



