16 CULTURE! AND MANAGEMENT 



^acrid and unpleasant, that it is not edible in its natural 

 state. The following description by Mr. William 

 Bartram, is copied from Mease's edition of the domes- 

 tick encyclopedia. "The pyrus coronaria, or native 

 trab apple of Worth America, is not eaten, except when 

 preserved in sugar, and in this state, they are deserv- 

 edly esteemed as a great delicacy. The fruit is flat- 

 tish, above one inch in diameter, yellow when ripe, 

 or of the colour of polished brass, and possesses an 

 agreeable fragrancy. Perhaps no tree presents a more 

 gay appearance in the spring, when dressed in green, 

 and with clusters of flowers of a most pleasing blush. 

 The petals may be compared to flakes of white wax, 

 faintly tinged with the finest carmine ; though some 

 trees have flowers of a damask rose colour." The 

 honourable Timothy Pickering, from long experience, 

 observes, "to bring an orchard as early as possible into 

 profit, plant common wild trees, or what are common- 

 ly called crab apples, four or five years old. They 

 should be cut down as soon as planted, and on their 

 young shoots graft or inoculate such fruit as is desir- 

 ed. From this practice, more fruit will be obtained in 

 ten years, than in the usual way in twenty years. 

 The wild tree, if grafted on its own stock, will come 

 much earlier to bearing fruit, and it will be improved 

 both in size and flavour." 



CULTIVATED OR SEEDLING STOCKS. 



When the crab stock cannot be procured in suffic- 

 ient quantity for the purpose of propagation, it be- 

 comes necessary to resort to the expedient of culture 

 from the seeds. Seedling stocks, which have a natu- 

 ral tendency to attain the full height of the species to 

 be grafted on them, are generally denominated free 

 stocks. Every planter who is solicitous to keep an or- 

 chard well stocked with fruit trees, should cultivate; 



