30 FRUIT-GROWING 



was provided by a common root system — that 

 of the tree on which they were grafted. If there 

 was any difference in the two * 'parent" trees 

 it would certainly have shown up there. But it 

 did not, for when the two grafts produced 

 fruit you could not tell which was from the fine 

 tree and which was from the poor one. Burton 

 repeated this experiment with several varieties 

 — until he was entirely satisfied that the ques- 

 tion of pedigreed trees was all bunk. It is a 

 simple experiment. Any one can try it any 

 time. If there was the least doubt in my own 

 mind that Burton 's work had not been carefully 

 done I would repeat the experiment myself or 

 refer to other workers in other states who have 

 done the same thing. Personally I know that 

 pedigreed trees are a fake. I would never 

 consider planting them myself and give them 

 this much attention in this chapter only because 

 I know that new planters too often "fall" for 

 such misleading advertising. 



Grafted trees usually are allowed to remain 

 in the nursery either one or two years. If they 

 make a quick vigorous growth they will be 

 ready to plant at the end of the first season's 

 growth, but if the season is unfavorable they 

 are often allowed to stand for two years. 

 Budded trees, of course, remain in the row at 

 least two seasons — the bud does not develop 

 the first season. As a result a one-year 



