208 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



day are all lineal descendants of that first wild 

 type. 



The method of multiplying a good variety has 

 been by grafting (or budding) a scion of the desired 

 kind on a healthy apple tree whose fruit may not 

 be counted so desirable. The scion unites with the 

 stock, and through it a branch is produced that 

 bears the fruit desired. On small trees, the top 

 is made by the grafting process. One scion is 

 set on top of the main stalk, and through this 

 twig all growth is changed over to the new 

 variety. The root and stem minister to the 

 bearing top which is not their own, but a relative 

 by marriage! 



To find out in the easiest way what that ancient 

 parent apple was like, we must stop on the wayside 

 and taste the fruit of a tree that has sprung from a 

 chance seed of a core thrown away by some travel- 

 ler who passed by, years ago. Gnarled is the tree 

 and insipid the fruit! Plant an orchard with seeds 

 of your favorite apples, and wait for them to bear. 

 The wild apple of the wayside had quite as good 

 fruit as that you will get. Seedling apples are un- 

 certain for the orchardist. He makes his choice 

 of varieties and plants trees grafted to these. The 

 plant breeder may grow seedling apple trees in 

 hope of discovering one in a thousand that bears 



