The Chair: We will have one more paper at this session that will not take quite all of 

 our time, and so I ask Mr. G. T. Powell to speak to us upon some of the results obtained 

 by him in bud variation in apples. 



BUD VARIATION IN THE APPLE 



Geo. T. Powell, Ghent, N. Y. 



Ten years ago I began the propagation of two kinds of apples, the Tomp- 

 kins County King and the Sutton Beauty, upon the principle of bud selection. 

 While at Geneva I observed on the grounds of Mr. S. D. Willard a Sutton 

 Beauty apple tree, one portion of which showed decided characteristics in 

 quality of fruit better than other portions of the tree. I selected from this 

 portion of the tree scions, and top-worked 100 Northern Spy trees with these 

 grafts from this Sutton Beauty apple tree of Mr. Willard's. I have since 

 selected from the trees thus propagated the strongest, finest buds from the 

 most typical trees of the 100 so started originally. 



I have to-day the current generation, that is, the result of the third selec- 

 tion of the Sutton Beauty, each time selecting the finest type of tree, then 

 studying the character of the growth of this tree and choosing the buds from 

 the strongest, the most vigorous branches upon these trees. 



Now, there were three points in my mind in starting this work. One 

 was to get vigor in the growth of the tree. The second was to get uniformity 

 in the character of the fruit, and the third was to obtain, if possible, the 

 prolific tendency. So far I am very glad to report that all three points have 

 been well secured, as this third result of the fruit which I have got. 



In relation to the Tompkins County King another very interesting result 

 has been observed; that is, by top-working the Tompkins County King buds 

 upon the Northern Spy tree, the constitutional weakness of the King seems to 

 be strengthened; that is, it seems to be eliminated so far, because, after eleven 

 years, there is not the first evidence of apple canker appearing upon these 

 young Kings top-worked upon the Northern Spy stock, while ordinarily in 

 New York State at the age of eleven years there are from 15 to 30 per cent, 

 of the trees so affected with the apple canker that they become practically 

 valueless. I believe that there is a wonderful field in this direction; that 

 there is as much difference in the buds upon the tree as Mr. Mttnson stated 

 that there is in animals in breeding. I am very glad to give just these few 

 words in these very few moments. 



