THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



165 



thus originated might prove the "best for pot-culture 

 and the most prolific for the smallest forms of the 

 cordon. ■ 



Suckers. — As comparatively few Apples throw 

 up suckers, it follows that this method of propa- 

 gation cara he hut seldom resorted to in private 

 gardens. There is also a well-grounded preju- 

 dice against the use of suckers, even if ohtainahle, 

 for own -root Apple-trees. Plants raised in this way 

 never seem to rise above their origin, and they 

 often finally lose their tops in a perfect thicket of 

 suckers, like producing like, to the injury and 

 final destruction of trees raised thus. But the 

 tendency of a few Codlins, the Creeping Apple, 

 Burrknot, Stubhard, Paradise, and a few other 

 varieties to produce suckers renders them valuable 

 for stocks, and causes them to be grown for that 

 purpose. It must also be borne in mind that any 

 suckers thrown up from most cultivated Apples would 

 be those of the wilding or other stocks, and not of the 

 Apples themselves. Suckers are also a signal of 

 distress to show that something is amiss with the 

 tree ; and hence, in removing them, a thorough ex- 

 amination should take place, that might often result 

 in the saving or resuscitation of the tree smothered 

 with suckers at the roots. 



Budding. — This system is seldom adopted with 

 Apples, though it is just as practicable with them 

 as with Pears, or Peaches either for that matter. 

 Still, fashion rules in these matters almost as 

 despotically as within the domain of society and 

 among ourselves ; and for this reason chiefly, and 

 also because Apples take so readily and are pro- 

 pagated with such facility by scions, budding is 

 but little practised. 



There is also another reason. Apple-buds are, as 

 a rule, considerably later than those of Roses, to take 

 the most familiar example. The buds of different 

 varieties are likewise more irregular in their season 

 of being sufiiciently plumped up for budding. But 

 these are mere matters of detail, and by seizing the 

 most favourable condition of stock and bud. Apples 

 may be propagated by budding exactly in the 

 same way, and almost as easily, though not quite so 

 successfully, as Roses. Another advantage of bud- 

 ding is that the stocks may be worked in a smaller 

 state than it would be practicable to graft them. 

 The wood also heals sooner, the union is more com- 

 plete, and there is less liability to canker at the 

 point of union — a point of considerable moment in 

 varieties such as the Ribston Pippin, specially liable 

 to this dire disease. 



Propagation by Seeds.— It may seem like a 

 digression to leap back from the budding of Apples 



to the raising of them from seeds, as grafting seems 

 to come naturally and logically after budding. 

 It is obvious, however, that stocks must precede 

 grafting, and as seedlings form the major portion of 

 these, it is needful to provide the stocks before 

 Apples can be propagated by scions. Xo doubt a 

 good many stocks are provided by the three means 

 of propagation already adverted to — cuttings, layers, 

 and suckers — and some of these may have been used 

 for budding ; but seedling Crabs, Cider, and other 

 Apples and Paradises furnish the great trade sup- 

 plies of stocks. The raising of seedling Apples is 

 also a compound means of propagation. It fur- 

 nishes stocks for the scions of the best cultivated 

 varieties, and it is almost the only means of origina- 

 ting new and superior varieties. Sports — that is, 

 bud variations — are another method ; but, so far as 

 we know, the sporting power of Apples is far more 

 limited than that of most other plants. Of course, 

 should any such sports different or superior to good 

 cultivated sorts appear, they should be carefully pre- 

 served and industriously propagated by some of the 

 means already indicated, or by grafting. 



In attempting to raise new and superior varieties of 

 Apples from seeds, not only should the best sorts be 

 chosen, but the finest examples of the best varieties. 

 For instance, all Ribston Pippins or Cox's Orange 

 Pippins are not equally perfect, and only the very 

 finest fruit of these or any other first-rate sort 

 should be saved for seed. Again, were these two 

 Apples crossed, a better strain of Apples might be ex- 

 pected from the seeds than if either were sown pure. 

 Numerous as are our Apples of good eating and 

 cooking qualities, there is no reason to suppose that 

 the vein of improvement is as yet worked out, or 

 that the highest quality has yet been reached. 

 Such distinct Apples as the Golden Pippin, Ribston 

 Pippin, Devonshire Quarrenden, Scarlet and other 

 Nonpareils, Golden Russet, Golden Rennette, Clay- 

 gate and other Pearmains, might be crossed in all 

 directions with others of the most opposite character, 

 and even with culinary Apples, to add to their per- 

 centage of sugar or their size. In many cases this 

 might be done without losing their briskness. Of 

 course, the crossing must be done while the Apples 

 are in flower, and the stamens of the seed-bear- 

 ing Apples should be removed, and pollen from the 

 male parent be placed on the stigma. To insure 

 any certainty, however, the stamens should be re- 

 moved and the flower protected from bees, &c., be- 

 fore it is thoroughly opened, and for some days after 

 the foreign pollen is applied. Without these pre- 

 cautions, which, though formidable on paper, are 

 simple in practice, the flies, bees, and breezes render 

 the cross -breeder's efforts so much labour lost. A 

 record of the crosses should be kept, as furnishing 



