PROPAGATING APPLE-TREES. 49 



fruit, and be a choice heritage to his successors, let him be- 

 gin right by selecting the seed from apples or pears with 

 his own hands; plant them where the trees are to grow; 

 bud the young trees; and train and cultivate them for a 

 few years, until they have obtained sufficient size to require 

 but little more care. 



Now, then, what does a beginner desire to accomplish ? 

 What end has he in view, near or remote, in the future ? 

 Why, simply, the object to be attained is, hardy, thrifty, 

 productive trees, which will not fail to yield fair crops of 

 excellent fruit every season. There is but little difficulty 

 in accomplishing all that may be desired, if one can find a 

 hardy fruit-bearing tree in his vicinity. It is assumed that 

 the stock of a fruit-tree will exert a marked influence on 

 the production of the fruit with which it may be grafted. 

 The Rhode Island Greening is a fair bearer in all sections 

 of the country, where the tree has not been starved. The 

 English Streaks and the Romanites are also hardy, and 

 naturally prolific. Select a few of the fairest apples of 

 these varieties, or the seed of any other hardy variety, and 

 plant only the largest and most perfect seeds from the 

 fruit. In some of the specimens there may not be a single 

 seed fit to plant. In others, one seed only can be found. 

 The same principle will hold good with pears or any other 

 fruit. None but the best seeds must be selected. The fruit 

 of any pear-tree that is hardy, and has produced a crop ev- 

 ery season for several successive years, may be selected, 

 from which to obtain a supply of seed for raising young 

 pear-trees. As soon as they are removed from the fruit, 

 before the kernels have been allowed to dry, mingle them 

 with sand a little moist, and keep them in a cool cellar un- 

 til cold weather. Then plunge the box in the ground, so 

 that the seeds will freeze. Early in the growing season, 

 stake out the ground, which is supposed to be as mellow 



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