PYRUS BACCATA AS A STOCK FOR THE APPLE. 1 73 



planting in the nursery row. In regard to lack of hardiness of 

 the top due to the quick growth from the graft or bud in nursery, 

 I admit that we may have to guard against that. It would prob- 

 ably not hurt such as Duchess or Hibernal even in a severe win- 

 ter, unless perhaps in case of excessive growth on strong stocks. 



Mr. Elliot: Then you would infer that the stock would not 

 ripen up as well on the graft as on a piece root? 



Prof. Hansen: That is not the point. Whether you put in 

 a graft or bud, it is barely possible that the young growth in 

 nursery would be so tender they would not mature well especially 

 at the tips. 



Mr. Elliot: Would it not ripen up as well with a large root 

 as with a small one? 



Pro. Hansen : Well, the force of a large root makes the ter- 

 minals more tender, the growth being more rapid. Pinching 

 back would help to ripen the wood, this being a common practice 

 in nursery management of buds or grafts. 



Mr. Elliot : That would apply to some varieties. Do you 

 think the Hibernal will ripen up with a strong growth? 



Prof. Hansen : It has with us so far. The buds ripen well 

 without pinching back. The growing practice of wintering 

 trees in cellar will obviate the difficulty. No trouble will be ex- 

 perienced when the trees are set in orchard. Further experience 

 will answer that question. Some varieties would probably not 

 ripen up. I believe some tips might not ripen up well on account 

 of being forced up too strongly by the roots, but I have raised 

 Duchess and Wealthy in this way, and the shoots ripened very 

 well. 



Mr. Roy Underwood : I understood you to say last evening 

 that you considered the Siberian crab, Pyrus baccata, much pre- 

 ferable as a stock for grafting to our hardy apples, even to the 

 Hibernal or our native American apple seedlings. I would like 

 to inquire in what respect you consider it better. 



Prof. Hansen : For this reason, that no country has severer 

 conditions than Russia, and they have nothing there that will 

 stand those extreme conditions like the Pyrus baccata. The 

 Russians themselves have given up the attempt to get any hardy 

 stock from any of their common apples. They have been forced 

 to go outside of the natural limits of the species Pvrus malus, 

 our common apple, far into Siberia to get this hardy form. It is 

 the smallest apple in the world, many about as big as your lit- 

 tle finger nail. I have raised seedlings by the thousand from 

 common apples, including such hardy sorts as Hibernal, Duchess 

 and Wealthy. They all lack in hardiness for stocks. 



Mr. Underwood: E)o you mean to say that the Hibernal 

 seedling is not as hardy as the Hibernal tree? 



Prof. Hansen : It is not proof against root-killing. The 

 seedlings are blackhearted. I learned that by experience in Feb- 

 ruary, 1899. 



Mr. Elliot : Could not the seedling of Hibernal be put in the 

 same line with all other classes of fruit? We all know that 



