82 3 ANNUAL ReporT. 
Mr. Latham. J have found obstacles to the use of crab roots, | 
but top working half hardy trees upon the Transcendent makes 
them hardier. Those thus put in before the hard winter, are now 
living. 
Mr. Pearce. Since the hard winter I have used’a short root and 
long scion and set deeply and of good trees, thus treated I have not 
lost one by root-killing. 
Mr. Jordon. The apple on its own root is better than on any 
other. I have 1,000 Wealthy trees that have been top-worked for 
three years. As arule the top-working of standards on crabs is a 
failure, but as the exception it is a grand success. The Hyslop is 
best forthe Wealthy. The Transcendent is good for Plumb’s Cider, 
and Rollin’s Russet for the Haas. Am convinced that many half 
hardy varieties can be successfully grown by top-working. The 
Jeniton on the Transcendent. As to the time of working—it 
must be done in the first weather after January that is warm 
enough for a man to work out without gloves. Set the cion as 
close to the main stem as possible so that no beetle may be formed 
on the branch. The wax should contain no animal fat, but consist 
of four parts resin, one part beeswax and one-fourth part oil ot 
turpentine and more or less oil, according to the temperature of the 
day. Pull this mixture until it is like taffy, then go to the orchard, 
drawing the wax into ribbons wind it round, without twine or any 
thing else. 
Mr. Latham. Mr. Gideon paints the wax on old sheets and 
pillow cases. I have used it also thus and it can’t be beat. 
Mr. Harris. I don’t believe in hybrids between the common 
apple and the crab—they don’t bloom at the same time. 
Mr. Jordon. I beg to differ, because of the Hesper varieties. 
They are all from the same variety of crab, but there is a great 
difference in size, and many resemble some particular variety of 
apple. They came from a bushel of apples that were thrown out, 
frozen, from the trunk of a stranger, and these apples came from 
an orchard of standard apples with one crab apple tree in it. 
Mr. Harris. J have two seedlings from the Transcendent. The 
fruit of one is nearly as large as my fist but the seed of that tree 
came from a season when the Transcendent was out of bloom before 
the Standard apple was in bloom. 
At this point the Society adjourned, to meet at 9 o'clock Thurs- 
day morning. 
