24 FRUIT-GROWING 



All apple trees are grown on the roots of 

 young seedling apple trees, that is, the tops are 

 changed in variety by grafting or budding. In 

 the past practically all of the seedlings used for 

 this purpose have been grown in Europe, with 

 France and Belgium producing most of them. 

 These seedlings are shipped to this country in 

 large cases and are unpacked and inspected at 

 the nursery where they are to be used. Not 

 infrequently diseased and insect-infested stock 

 is sent in and this has resulted in the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture throwing many impedi- 

 ments in the way of the receipt of this stock. 

 Some of the Department's rules are such as to 

 cause a very great increase in the cost of han- 

 dling these seedling stocks with the result that 

 most nurseries have cut down their imports to 

 the lowest possible estimate. Consequently the 

 production of stock has fallen off in the past 

 few years and we to-day face a very serious 

 shortage. That this shortage will continue 

 seems to be reasonably certain as no nursery- 

 man cares to risk the investment of too much 

 money in a commodity that may not find a sale. 



The seedlings, called " stocks,' ' are taken to 

 the propagating houses of the nurseryman and 

 there are grafted, during the winter months. 

 They consist of a finely branched, vigorous 

 root system and usually a single, straight top 

 of a foot or two in length. 



