296 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



hybrid, I know what root to put it on, and if it is an apple, I also know. 

 Now, I am drawing this exceedingly close. I think if the course I have 

 outlined is pursued right along, we will gradually overcome the blight. 

 I do not believe you can go beyond the first cross, but I know that I can 

 do wonders on the first cross. 



Mr. Heideman : Where do you get your hybrid roots on which 

 to graft. ■? 



Mr. Pearce: I grow them. 



Mr. Heideman: From what? 



Mr. Pearce: Well, I plant Duchess trees away out by them- 

 selves, as far from other trees as I can possibly get them, and I 

 graft one-half of the top of that Duchess with the Cherry crab. 

 That is the first cross. 



Mr. Wilcox: Allow me to say that in my judgment, it makes 

 a material difference which you use for the parent. 



Mr. Pearce: I have always used the Cherry crab, but I do 

 not know that there is much difference. 



Mr. Wilcox: One of the laws of nature that is becoming 

 well understood is that the female blossom imparts its charac- 

 teristics or constitutional vigor and hardiness to the offspring, 

 and if you use the Cherry crab for the female blossom you will 

 certainly secure the constitutional vigor you are seeking. 



A TALK ABOUT SEEDLING APPLES. 



CHAS. PATTEN, CHARLES CITY, IOWA. 



The production of varieties is one of the most important questions we 

 have to consider, in my mind. Now, I wish to call attention at this time 

 to a paper read by Mr. Harris this afternoon with reference to those seed- 

 lings that he has discovered all over the state of Minnesota. If you had 

 taken notes as I did. you would have discovered that he found almost 

 entirely summer and fall apples. Scarcely a winter apple was named, 

 except the one red apple that was presented here, the seed of which came 

 from Ohio. Now, I want to suggest to you in your work, and I hope I 

 will not be considered presumptuous in making the suggestion, because it 

 is a subject I have given considerable thought to, that if you take the 

 seeds of the Hibernal or that family of trees as the mother parent, you 

 may expect from the very nature of that tree that you will obtain varie- 

 ties that are nearly the same as that: that you will have resulting 

 from such a cross, no matter what you cross them with, apples of 

 low quality. You may be sure that any apple of the low grade of the 

 Hibernal family will transmit its leading characteristics of sourness and 

 bitterness and hardness. That is a law of nature, whether among plants 

 or animals. > 



