23© The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Sweet stock, it not only produces fruit of better quality, but is quite productive, 

 We are so convinced of its excellence in this regard, that, if planting a new 

 orchard to-day. we would be inclined to plant all Talman, and later on to top- 

 graft them with the required varieties. 



Here is an article by the late Mr. Nicol, of Cataraqui, on this very subject 

 which is sufficiently opportune to be inserted here. 



Many of the choicest varieties of apples, such as the Northern Spy, Ribston 

 Pippin, R. I. Greening, Qravenstein, Baldwin and King of Tomkins County, 

 which are somewhat tender, can be grown successfully by root-grafting or by 

 budding on common stock only in favored localities ; yet by top grafting on 

 hardy stock they can be satisfactorily grown where only hardy varieties succeed 

 in the ordinary way. 



The Talman Sweet is peculiarly adapted for this purpose. Next to the 

 Crabs and the Duchess of Oldenburg, it is the hardiest of all known varieties. 

 Indeed, I have found it to be quite equal to the Duchess in this respect. I 

 have known trees of it so mutilated by cattle and horses as to be considered 

 completely destroyed, yet, when given a fair chance, recovered and became 

 remarkably healthy and good bearing trees. In fact, there is no kind of apple 

 tree that will stand as much hard usage and survive. It is less particular as to 

 soil and situation than any other kind of apple tree. It endures dry seasons 

 better than most sorts. Its bark, being of a thick, tough, leathery nature, soon 

 overgrows almost any wound ; and good, sound grafts inserted into its branches 

 seldom fail to grow. Its growth is very much of the same habit as that of the 

 Duchess, throwing out its branches at nearly right angles with the trunk ; unlike 

 the Spy, which forms forked crotches that readily split when the tree comes to 

 mature age. I have never known a Talman Sweet tree split at the crotches by 

 weight of fruit, by accumulations of ice or by wind storms. In short,. it is the 

 most enduring kind of apple tree that I know of. 



It should be observed that in top-grafting any kind of apple tree, the whole 

 top should not be cut off at once, because the too severe check is apt to kill 

 the tree. A far better way is to make a two or three years' process of it ; the 

 first and second year grafting only each alternate side branch, and, finally, the 

 third year grafting the top branches. 



Branches into which grafts are to be inserted should not be cut off too close 

 to the trunk, where they are of large size, but rather where they are subdivided 

 into branches about i or i}^ inches thick ; then the joint quickly heals over; 

 whereas, when grafts are inserted into the side of a large stump they are much 

 more readily broken off. 



There are now growing throughout the country a great many Talman Sweet 

 trees— perhaps more than of any other variety of apple. I know of many 

 instances where orchards were planted years ago, and now all that remains of 

 them is the few Talman Sweet trees which constituted part of the selection. 



The Talman is by common consent adjudged to be the best baking apple ; 

 yet it* is hardly salable in any market in Canada ; therefore, it is of little value 

 beyond what is required for family use, and for that purpose one or two trees in 

 an orchard is sufficient. If all the others were top-grafted with choice sorts 

 there might be much more good fruit grown. 



