22(3 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



PROPAGATION OF THE APPLE 



The apple is chiefly propagated by root-grafting upon apple seed- 

 ling roots either whole-roots or root pieces. Budding is also practised 

 to a certain extent. For dwarf trees the Paradise stock is used. 

 Repeated trials with working the apple on the pear, chiefly by top 

 grafting, have secured growth of limited life but without fruiting. 



The resistance of certain roots to the woolly aphis has been 

 fully demonstrated by local experience in the use of the Northern 

 Spy and Winter Majetin, chiefly the former. Seedlings of North- 

 ern Spy can not be relied upon as resistant to the woolly aphis. 

 It is necessary to get a root actually grown from the Northern 

 Spy wood. The best way to get a start is to buy some Northern Spy 

 trees from some reputable nurseryman, specifying that they shall 

 be Northern Spy root and top. With these resistant roots and 

 wood growth for scions or cuttings can be grown. Resistant trees 

 are made by root grafting the scion of the variety which it is 

 desired to propagate upon a piece of Northern Spy root and then 

 being careful that the scion does not send out roots of its own, 

 but is wholly dependent upon the Northern Spy root. It is cus- 

 tomary with nurserymen selling resistant trees to save the root 

 pieces which are removed in digging and packing for subsequent 

 propagation. It is also possible to get a resistant tree by starting 

 from the cutting of a Northern Spy. To facilitate the rooting of 

 these cuttings a small piece of any kind of apple root is put in by 

 side graft near the bottom of the cutting. This acts as a starter, 

 but the cutting will also make roots of itself. At the end of the 

 first year then the cuttings are taken up, the piece of root used 

 as a starter is cleanly cut away and the rooted cutting replanted ; 

 henceforth it is dependent upon its own roots and is resistant. 

 The variety desired is then grafted in a little way above the ground 

 surface so that there will be no danger of its making its own roots. 

 By either of these processes it is more troublesome and takes more 

 time to produce a tree with a resistant root than in the ordinary 

 way, and for that reason trees on resistant roots are sold at a higher 

 prfce. This may be the reason why resistant trees are not yet 

 largely used in this State. 



Other suggestions applicable to the growth of young apple trees 

 are given in Chapters VIII and IX. 



DISEASES AND PESTS OF THE APPLE 



The apple is subject to various diseases" and insect enemies 

 which must be resolutely fought or they will render the trees un- 

 profitable. Chief of the diseases are the "pear blight" and the 

 apple scab, and the apple mildew. Of the insect enemies the codlin 

 moth, the apple-leaf aphis, various leaf-eating caterpillars and 





