TllE CANADIAN HORTICULTUiJJST. 23: 



GROWING OF APPLE STOCKS. 



" An ambitious amateur" inquires wliat varieties of apple and pear 

 seeds are the best to sow in order to raise hardy stocks ; and by way 

 of explanation added, that he had seen it stated that the seedlings 

 raised from crab apple seed made the most hardy stocks, and again 

 had found that statement controverted. 



We have not had sufficient experience in the use of seedlings 

 grown from crab apples to enable us to say whether trees grafted upon 

 them are any more hardy because of the crab apple stock. Nursery- 

 men usually get their apple seed from orchards of native or seedling 

 fruit, where the apples not being of such a quality as to be saleable in 

 our markets, are ground up for cider. The stocks from these seeds are 

 found to be healthy and vigorous; and indeed, if our nurserymen 

 were to endeavor to procure crab apple seed, they would soon discover 

 that it was not to be had in sufficient quantity to meet their needs. 

 But from what is known of the influence of the stock upon the scion, 

 there seems to be great reason to doubt whether the tree would be 

 any more able to endure extreme cold because it was grafted upon a 

 crab apple stock. 



With regard to pear stocks, nearly all the seed that is sown is- 

 imported from Europe, and perhaps might properly be denominated 

 crab seed. But very little seed however is sown in America in pro- 

 portion to the number of" stocks used, most nurserymen preferring 

 to import the stocks themselves. European grown stocks are usually 

 healthier and better than those grown in America. 



FARMERS' GARDENS ON CLAY SOIL. 



BY H. M. SWITZER, PALERMO. 



Living as I do in a neighborhood where clay soil predominates, 

 and as there is a prejudice existing against such soil for gardening, I 

 thought I would write a few lines for the Horticulturist, and 

 endeavor to dispel that feeling to some extent. 



1 have often heard parties say, " You cannot have a good garden 

 except on light soil. It must be sandy, or very light loam. Sand is- 

 easily worked, and you can do so at all times ; it never gets too wet. 



