CHAPTER X. 



THE APPLE. 



If there^s a better fruit than an apple ifs another apple. Tim. 



This splendid fruit is almost as ' ' old as the hills. ' ' 

 King Solomon appreciated good apples. And charred 

 remains of apples have been found in prehistoric 

 dwellings in Europe. Southwestern Asia is where 

 this fruit originated. Harriet says that it is the ' ' best 

 job that Asia ever did, " and I agree with her. 



PROPAGATION. Apples can be propagated either 

 by grafting or budding, the former method being 

 most commonly used by nurserymen. Whip grafts 

 on seedling roots are often employed. But there are 

 several ways of obtaining good trees for setting. My 

 friend, Wilmer Atkinson, says: "If I were to plant 

 another apple orchard, I should buy Northern Spy 

 nursery trees, set them, and cut oif and cleft -graft 

 (after the tree is set) each trunk at the point where 

 the first branches are wanted, using scions cut from 

 thrifty bearing trees of known variety and productive- 

 ness." To Mr. Atkinson's excellent plan I might add 

 that if a man has time, and can't afford to buy the 

 trees, he might grow Spy seedling trees and then 

 graft them thus saving the nursery bill. 



SELECTING NURSERY TREES. Two -year -old, 

 straight, medium - size, healthy trees are about right. 

 See that they are not branched too high ; three or four 

 feet should be the limit. 



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