ON THE APPLE 



Details as to methods of planting and care of 

 the seedlings have already been given in a sep- 

 arate chapter and need not be repeated here. No 

 special cultural directions are required in growing 

 the apple seedlings. They are cared for on my 

 farms very much as peas and beans are cared for, 

 and they are as easily grown. 



It may be well, however, to inspect the young 

 seedlings occasionally and to remove all weak or 

 slow-growing ones and those having slender stems 

 and thin, small leaves; and in particular any that 

 show the slightest evidence of mildew. 



It is not desirable to treat seedlings that are 

 grown for the production of new varieties with 

 fungicides; the persistent aim should be to pro- 

 duce trees that are thoroughly resistant to fungoid 

 diseases. 



The seedlings that show large, thick leaves and 

 thick, fat, prominent buds placed not too far 

 apart, combined with stocky, short- join ted, juicy 

 wood, are the ones most likely to be valuable. 



Let us emphasize again that in fruiting the 

 seedlings an enormous amount of time and valu- 

 able space can be saved if they are grafted upon 

 large bearing trees. I am accustomed to take one 

 or two good cions from each of the selected seed- 

 lings at the end of the first season's growth, graft- 

 ing them into a bearing tree on branches a quar- 



[195J 



