NURSERY CULTURE OF THE APPLE. 339 



stock was greater than ever occurred in Minnesota or northern Iowa. 

 For a depth of four or five feet from the surface there was no 

 moisture in the ground. I do not think there is any danger when 

 the soil is moist, and I have heard of trees killed deep in the ground 

 just as frequently as where the roots were on the surface. I don't 

 care if half the roots get on top of the ground ; that is the reason I 

 plant shallow. 



Mr. Wyman Elliot : In Mr. Patten's remarks he spoke of 

 fourth hybrids. I would like to have him give us an explanation of 

 that term. 



Mr. C. G. Patten (Iowa) : I mean starting with the old cherry 

 crab and the small yellow crab the next generation was the large red 

 and the large yellow crab, the next was the Transcendent and the 

 Hyslop and the next the Whitney No. 20 and the Briar Sweet. They 

 are the second, third and fourth generation from the Siberian crab 

 as we had it in this countr}'. There are but few of the fourth gen- 

 eration. I do not think I made myself quite clear in that matter. 

 I have the fourth generation removed from the Siberian seedling, 

 a fine appearing apple, fully as large as the Fameuse, and I believe 

 such a seedling root-grafted on the stock I have spoken of, root- 

 grafted with a short root and a long scion set deep in the ground, — 

 I believe a body on that stock would meet Prof. Hansen's require- 

 ments. 



The President : I think it may do to give out as a subject for 

 thought, that I find that the little yellow Siberian crab, the pyrus 

 baccata, is hardier — (some one said it was no hardier than some of 

 the hybrids) I find it is hardier than any other tree in Minnesota. I 

 do not care what tree you select, the oak, elm, hackberry, take twenty 

 of the hardiest in the most trying situation you can find and put the 

 little yellow Siberian along side of them, and that will live when all 

 the others are dead. I have some now that have never taken any in- 

 jury at all that bore twenty bushels of apples this past season. I 

 have no tree that comes near (the ash comes nearest to it) that will 

 stand in the same situations. They never blight. There is nothing 

 wrong about them ; they never root-kill at all. What is there about 

 the root of this yellow Siberian crab that the roots of other apples do 

 not possess that renders them immune to^ all these troubles that strike 

 the other apples, that makes them ironclad? Examine those roots 

 and see what there is about them that makes them strong and vigor- 

 ous under all circumstances. 



Mr. Oliver Gibbs : How many present have found the pyrus 

 baccata blighting badly where it evidently did not take the blight 

 from some other variety? 



Mr. J. S. Harris : I have one that is not within fifteen or twenty 

 rods of any other tree, but it blights every year. 



Mr. Cribbs : I will put the question in a dift'erent form. How 

 many have known it to blight ? (A few hands were raised.) 



The President: How many have known it to root-kill? (No 

 hands up.) 



Mr. S. D. Richardson : The most serious form of blight is in 

 the bud. as far as my experience goes with the yellow crab. It is 

 inclined to bligfht in the bud and die. 



