THE ROOT SYSTEMS OF FRUIT PLANTS 599 



Definite, though not invariable, objections have been shown to both 

 extreme grades in nursery stock, on the one hand practical and on the 

 other hand primarily theoretical but none the less real. The logical 

 consequence is the approval of the medium grades. Experience usually 

 justifies this course. 



Selection of Seedling Stocks. — For good or evil, seedling stocks will 

 continue in use, for some fruits, indefinitely. It is likely, however, that 

 at no distant time the sources of seedling stock will receive closer scrutiny 

 than has been given. Indeed a rough selection has been exercised for 

 many years in some cases. The so-called Vermont crab stock for apples, 

 in reality grown from cider mill pomace and tracing ultimately in many 

 cases to seedling apples, sometimes has been preferred to crab stock. 

 Feral peach stock from Tennessee has been used to a considerable extent. 



Gradually, however, imported French seedlings have been used 

 increasingly for apple stocks, because they were cheaper than native 

 grown stock. With the rise of canneries, peach stones and cherry pits 

 have been available at little cost to growers of nursery stocks and have 

 been widely used. 



The variation in seedlings has been mentioned. It is probable, 

 however, that investigation will show certain varieties to produce 

 larger proportions of good seedlings than others. Commercial varieties 

 of fruit are not grown for the value of the seedling stocks they produce. 

 Doubtless some of them will prove of value for this purpose; others will 

 not. 



Roeding'25 g^yg; "For several j^ears I have been carrying on experiments 

 with different varieties [of peaches] todetermine their value from a standpoint 

 of growth and general freedom from crown gall, and taking it all in all, the Salway 

 comes first, and the trees produced from Lovell and Muir seed next. Within the 

 last few years I have been carrying on experiments with Tennessee natural 

 pits and am already convinced of their value as to the vigor of growth. If the 

 root system is found to be healthy and of a fibrous character, this stock will be 

 given the preference." 



Apple seedlings from different parentage will probably, in some cases, 

 show differences worthy of consideration. Data from an orchard of 

 seedhngs of known parentage at the Missouri Experiment Station" 

 show a marked tendency to inferior growth in all seedlings of Ralls 

 (Geniton) parentage. Careful study doubtless would show certain 

 varieties to be admirable parents for nursery stock, while others would 

 turn out to be parents of an unduly large number of runts, sources of loss 

 both to nurseryman and to grower. 



The desirability of care in the selection of the source of seedling stocks 

 has received attention in Europe. 



