152 



POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



leaf mold or fresh, moist leaves are used for this purpose. 

 Where only small quantities are cared for, boxes are generally 

 used, which are left out doors in winter; but where large quanti- 

 ties of large seeds like 

 those of the peach and 

 black walnut are used, they 

 are often mixed in pits on 

 the surface of the ground 

 and covered with sod. 



Apple seed is gener- 

 ally kept dry during the 

 winter and moistened and 

 frozen in the spring before 

 sowing, but may be stored over winter by stratification with ex- 

 cellent results. In the case of a few plants the seed will start 

 at once if stratified. In such cases dry the seed and do not sow 

 until spring. However, it is a good plan to mix it with damp 

 sand in the latter part of winter for a few weeks, after which it 

 may be frozen before being sown. 



Fig. 74. Seed stratified In pit 

 and covered with sod. 



Fig. 75. Boxes of 



stratified seeds at the Minnesota Experiment 

 Station in Winter. 



Propagation by Offsets. 



(a) The strawberry and red raspberry, American plum, Mo- 

 rello cherry and some other fruits may be grown by taking off 

 sprouts that come up from the roots. Such sprouts are termed 

 "offsets," or suckers. 



(b) Offsets are best removed in autumn or in the spring. 

 In removing them, it is important to get a portion of the main 



