PROPAGATION. 131 



There is another advantage to be gained by this 

 system; many varieties first show signs of bark 

 failure in the intersections of the limbs with the 

 trunks. By this system the forks are formed 

 largely of the hardy stock which should be chosen 

 with special care as to its behavior in this par- 

 ticular. This is perhaps the most important gain 

 of all. 



It may be well to drop a word of caution here ; 

 this system is not commended for general practice, 

 nor for extended planting, as, where conditions are 

 so adverse to apple growing that they cannot be 

 grown any other way, it will never be a source 

 of profit to grow them in this way. It is only 

 recommended for small home orchards in the far 

 north, and it is believed that there will be a mod- 

 erate success as grown in this way, when they 

 would fail in the ordinary way of growing. The 

 mere act of top grafting a tree does not add to its 

 hardiness or longevity, but lessens it, as severe 

 pruning would do, it is done for the sole purpose 

 of passing the young tree over its infancy, where it 

 is so liable to injury, placing it upon a deep 

 system of roots already formed, and avoiding in a 

 measure the danger of bark scalding at the larger 

 forks, and the conversion of undesirable sorts into 

 desirable ones. 



The trees mostly used in the north for a stock 

 upon which to top graft are Hughes Virginia Crab, 

 Whitney No. 20, Duchess, Minnesota Crab, 

 and Haas. 



