TOP-GRAFTING THE APPLE. 



331 



The same spring I top-worked sixty Duchess trees with iMahnda. 

 The Duchess apples got ripe early and were harvested. The Ma- 

 linda then had all the top of the whole tree, and the three-years' 

 grafts produced seven bushels of winter apples. One box I brought 

 to this meeting. 



Three years ago I grafted some Seek-No-Further apples on crab 

 stock. They made very fine specimens, which I also brought to 

 this meeting; also one variety of apple from Iowa named "Isher- 

 wood," that originated in Canada — this from a two-year-old graft ; 

 and quite a variety that I obtained from Mr. Ivins, a nurseryman 

 from Iowa Falls. These I brought, thinking some of our Iowa 

 neighbors might recoonize them. I visited the orchard of Andrew 



Top-worked apple tree. The points of union are where inarktd with X- 



Wilfert, of Cleveland, and obtained scions, and two, years ago set 

 seven Yellow Siberian trees of his variety for winter use. None 

 of these will bear till next spring. Last spring I continued the work. 

 I wish to call your attention to one thing, that in thirteen va- 

 rieties that I have top-worked as far as they have borne I have not 

 made a single failure. The reward is so quick and certain. While 

 I confess I do not understand why the sap from a crab apple tree 

 imparts hardiness to tender varieties, I have seen it to my mind so 

 clearly that I feel quite sure if I had known what I do now twenty 

 years ago I would have had at this time a very large orchard. I 

 think I owe a debt of gratitude to this society when I see this top- 



