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AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The fruit of the Siberian crab is used for sauce, preserves, etc., and the 
seeds for the raising of new improved seedlings. After the ripe fruit ha? 
been gathered the cores must be removed. This is done quite easily. Take a 
narrow, thin strip of tin, sharpen one edge and wrap it around a slender lead 
pencil* The instrument is ready and by pressing this small tube through the 
middle of the fruit the whole core is removed and the flesh is left to be used 
for sauce, preserves, etc. A very good seedling for stocks is also Pyrus Malus 
which is found distributed far to the north. The seedlings of garden varieties 
.are far inferior to the above named varieties. From six poods (216 lbs. avoir- 
dupois) of garden varieties one obtains only one pound good large seeds, 
while from, the same quantity of Pyrus baccata cerasiformis one obtains ten 
times, from Pyrus prunifolia macrocarpa six to eight times, and from Pyrus 
baccata yenuina one hundred times as many seeds, only that they are very 
small.” 
THE PROBLEM BEFORE US. 
It now remains to be settled by experiment which is the best form of the 
Siberian crab to use for stocks. Judging from the foregoing notes and from 
numerous inquiries made wffiile in Russia, the writer is inclined to consider 
Pyrus baccata as the best for our use. It is the hardiest known species of the 
apple and the influence of hybridity will not come in as a disturbing factor 
in ascertaining results. Seed from Siberia is not yet obtainable in commer- 
cial quantities but with the opening of the new Siberian railway this difficulty 
will soon be obviated. Just east of Lake Baikal Pyrus baccata is said to 
occur in such abundance that a certain range of mountains is called “apple 
mountains.” The writer is endeavoring at present to obtain more seed from 
this region. 
The Transcendent and Hyslop crabs blight so badly at Brookings as to be 
worthless. The old Yellow or Red Siberian, with fruit the size of a cherry or 
less, may prove very useful, also the old Cherry crab; old trees, forty years old 
or more, are found scattered through the older parts of the west and at pres- 
ent are neglected because of small size of fruit. The seed of all such should 
be carefully saved. Mr. Gideon’s plan should also be tested of saving seed 
from hardy hybrid Siberian crabs. 
Experience has already shown that the cultivated apple makes a poor union 
in top-grafting upon the Siberian crab. Nor will root grafting on pieces of 
crab root be enough. No roots from the scion should be permitted. The 
stocks for a fair test should be handled much like the Mahaleb or Mazzard 
stocks for the cherry in the eastern nurseries, setting the stocks in nursery 
first, and afterwards, when established, budding or grafting the cultivated 
apples on them. It may largely do away wfith root-grafting in the winter, 
and hence make trees more expensive, but the method is worth trying. Per- 
haps both hybrids and pure seedlings will be too much subject to blight for 
the method to be successful in all localities. But certain it is, that the pres- 
ent method of growing apple trees on French crab or Vermont cider apple 
seedlings will not do for a considerable area of the northwest in test winters. 
It will take many experiments to fully settle the question. Let all who can 
try a few and report results. 
