1005. 
T1IH RURAL NEW-YORKER 
35 
INFLUENCE OF STOCK UPON GRAFT. 
Is Shape or Color Ever Changed ? 
Wo have received from one of our readers in Massa¬ 
chusetts a sample of Palmer Greening apple, the result 
of a graft of this variety put on Baldwin stock. This 
sample of Palmer, shown in Fig. IS, has a distinct red 
blush on the side, and is a very handsome fruit. Except 
for this blush, and, as we think, a slight difference in 
quality, it is practically the same as the true Palmer Green¬ 
ing, but it would appear that in this case the stock cer¬ 
tainly had some little effect upon the fruit. Can you tell 
us of any distinct results you have noticed in this line? 
Can you give us any instances where it would appear that 
the stock has affected either the color, shape or quality of 
the fruit? 
Experience With Plums. 
I have my serious doubts about the case which you 
cite. Palmer Greening (which Downing calls Wash¬ 
ington Royal) very often shows a fine red blush. It is 
not necessary to suppose that this conies from the influ¬ 
ence of the stock. I might say, however, that I have 
noticed a good many cases of the kind mentioned in 
which the character of the fruit was distinctly influ¬ 
enced by the character of the stock. A number of these 
cases, mostly in the line of plums, were put on record 
in the reports of the Vermont Experiment Station. I 
think no practical fruitman nowadays has any doubt 
that the influence of the stock is sometimes plainly 
visible in the fruit. Such influence, however, is not suf¬ 
ficiently common, obvious and uniform for us to dis¬ 
cover any general laws with regard to its manifestation. 
F. A. WAUGH. 
Mass, Agricultural College. 
A Russet Baldwin. 
Years since I had a tree of Baldwin, 
apple that annually made a crop, the fruit 
of which was covered with russet. Further, 
the quality' was not what it should be as 
a Baldwin; that is, it lacked the peculiar 
characteristics in point of flavor that the 
Baldwin carries. I watched the tree for 
several years, and found no change in this 
respect. I presume the stock on which 
the variety was budded was much strong¬ 
er, and outgrew the Baldwin that was 
upon it. This is a matter that is very in¬ 
teresting to me, and while I knew nothing 
of the origin of the stock, the assumption 
was that it might have been something 
of a Russet character, and exercised a po¬ 
tency over the variety that was quite as¬ 
tonishing. I worked this sort over to 
Hubbardston, because it had no value as 
a Baldwin, and these peculiarities disap¬ 
peared. But all this opens an interesting 
and important subject which I think has 
taxed the heads of some of our more intel¬ 
ligent fruit growers in the country, and 
yet I do not know that any investigations 
have been made with satisfactory results. 
To my mind there are instances in which 
the stock on which the variety is grafted 
exercises a powerful influence over the 
variety itself, and in other cases the char¬ 
acter of the variety seems to predominate, 
and 1 have been led to the conclusion that 
in some respects the power of the stock 
itself predominates, while in others the 
graft does this. s. 
New York. 
A Massachusetts Grower's Experience. 
As a rule T should say the stock did not affect the 
product of the scion, as far as any permanent change 
is concerned, yet 1 should expect more and better fruit 
upon scions set in a strong thrifty tree than on one of 
equal size in a weak-growing stock, and that the effect 
would be similar to that seen in the growing of fruit. 
It is my experience .that the size, shape, texture, color 
and flavor of fruit is affected by the conditions under 
which it is grown. I f anyone will take a few trees or 
a plot of plants, give one lot a liberal application of 
potash (sulphate), the other nitrate of soda, he will 
find that the food in its different combinations as taken 
up by his trees or plants has much to do with the profit¬ 
able growing of fruit. Possibly the Palmer Greening 
grown upon Baldwin stock might produce fruit with 
more of a reddish blush than some others, not because 
the Baldwin is red, but because the scions arc better 
able to produce perfect fruit than upon a weaker-growing 
stock. Yet possibly where two varieties are growing 
together they may slightly affect each other. I have in 
mind an old apple tree which was perhaps two-thirds of 
a very hard Winter sweet, an apple which was never 
mellow and kept all Winter. The rest of the tree was 
Baldwin, and we did not use them for ourselves because 
they were so hard. The tree was soon grafted to Bald¬ 
win except one limb, and although the tree now bears 
full crop with perhaps one-tenth of sweet ones, 1 cannot 
say that they affect the Baldwins at all. The only in¬ 
stance in which I have positive evidence is in a tree I 
bought for Baldwin, which always bore the odd year. 
It was situated in a rich spot, and the fruit did not 
prove satisfactory; was always green. Some years ago 
it was grafted about one-half to McIntosh red and one- 
fourth each to York Imperial and Shiawassee Beauty to 
test those varieties. Very often when two scions grow 
we cut out one, except the base bud, which we allow to 
grow. We have on the Shiawassee part and no other, 
limbs which have every appearance of growing from 
those buds. Last season they bore quite a few apples, 
which in appearance were neither Baldwin nor Shia¬ 
wassee, of more the Baldwin type and flavor, but with 
a brighter red than wc ever saw on a Baldwin. We 
have grafted some of those sports, which have not borne 
yet, and we very much fear that when taken from their 
Baldwin-Shiawassee environment they will not prove of 
value, but that is only a guess. Should they perpetuate 
themselves we shall have something to show some of 
our scientific friends who now know all there is about 
stock vs. scion combinations. h. o. mead. 
Massachusetts. 
Van Deman Gives Experience. 
Without having seen the specimen (and it would be 
very much more satisfactory to sec a number of speci¬ 
mens from the same source) it is impossible to form 
any unqualified opinion in this case. However, I do 
not believe the stock transmitted any of the character¬ 
istics of Baldwin to the Palmer Greening apples. I 
have seen many other apples growing on grafts set in 
Baldwin trees, many being of my own grafting, and 
hundreds of other varieties inter-grafted, but in no case 
have I seen any transmittal of their characters as a 
result. If this theory was true we would see almost 
endless variations in the fruit of grafted trees, for almost 
every grafted tree that is set is upon a stock having 
diverse characteristics of growth and fruit. We would 
see dwarf pear trees bearing fruit partaking of the color, 
form and flavor of the quince. Peaches, plums, cherries 
and all fruits would vary in the same way. In the case 
mentioned it is possible that the Baldwin tree may have 
been very vigorous and caused the fruit on the graft to 
develop to an unusual degree. There is no doubt in my 
mind about vigorous stocks being able to supply better 
nourishment than those which are feeble, and the fruit 
would be reasonably expected to feel the effects accord¬ 
ingly. But my experience and observation do not in¬ 
cline me to believe that varietal characteristics are trans¬ 
mitted to stock or scion by grafting or budding. Abun¬ 
dant nourishment causes normal development, or more 
than that, and insufficient nourishment has the contrary 
effect. Large size, high color and rich flavor come from 
a high state of development. Water and mineral salts 
are all that the stock transmits to the scion in their 
crude forms. These are taken up by the leaves and true 
sap is formed from them and the carbon of the air. The 
individuality of the cellular formation is local. Herein 
lies the retention of the characteristics of every species 
and variety of vegetable life. Theoretically, there is 
much more reason to believe that the sap of the scion 
would control or in some measure affect the stock, and 
there- are some evidence on this point, although they 
are slight. Yet, in the case of grafted or budded dwarf 
pear trees the wood and all else above the point of 
union is pear and that below is quince; nothing more 
and nothing less. So it is with one variety upon an¬ 
other, as well as with one species upon another. 
H. E. VAN DEM AN. 
Queer-Looking Williams Favorite. 
The only striking example of this influence that has 
come to my notice was observed the past season, in 
which we fruited a large top-graft of the York Imperial 
* upon a 40-year-old Northern Spy tree. In this case the 
York Imperial was very different in type from where it 
was grown upon trees of this variety in our younger 
bearing orchard. The grafted fruit was smaller, more 
oblate, less oblique, smoother, much more highly col¬ 
ored; very dark compared with the York as regularly 
grown upon its own tree. Yet, notwithstanding these 
differences, there was no doubt that the apples were the 
true York Imperial. I have also noticed an occasional 
Grimes Golden tree bearing apples distinctly blushed 
with red, although the percentage of trees so doing is 
very small. This has led me to wonder if the roots upon 
which the trees were budded or grafted were not ex¬ 
traordinarily potent. There are also other freaks of the 
apple that are of interest. During the past Summer 
one of our station helpers found a cluster of pear-shaped 
apples of the Williams Favorite variety. 
I photographed this cluster, shown in Fig. 
19. A few days later similar specimens of 
the same variety came through the mail to 
the station for identification. It would be 
very interesting to know just what is re¬ 
sponsible for this phenomenon—perhaps 
some one can tell us. F. H. ballou. 
Ohio. Exp. Station. 
EXPERIENCED FRUIT GROWER 
ON SPRAYING. 
Lime, salt and sulphur mixture, made 
by boiling one hour by steam, using per¬ 
forated pipe coil in bottom of tank, sprayed 
warm on San Jose scale just before the 
buds begin to swell in the Spring, will pos¬ 
itively kill every scale it coats without any 
injury whatever to apple, peach, plum or 
pear trees. The same mixture made by 
boiling by the use of lime is almost of no 
value. Salt may not improve the killing 
qualities, but seems to add adhesive power 
and shows better on the trees. The latter 
is a factor in making sure that every part 
of the tree is coated. Steam boiling is 
best for convenience, and if perforated 
coil is properly arranged will prevent set¬ 
tling of the material while cooking. The 
properly boiled mixture will stay in effec¬ 
tive condition several days, but works bet¬ 
ter warm. Some damage has been report¬ 
ed from using in the Fall and early Win¬ 
ter. I have only used in Spring, just be¬ 
fore buds open. 
On old trees with rough bark, and when 
scales overlap, it is practically impossible 
to cover every scale with one application. 
In the Spring, before buds open, many scales will be 
dead, and bark conditions more favorable to reach every 
scale than any other time between leaves falling and 
leaves coming again. A second application also finds 
conditions more favorable, because of killing and falling 
of part of the scale, particularly if heavy rains occur. 
At every application intended to be effective spray or¬ 
chard, then cross the first work. Bluestone added to 
the mixture will prevent or greatly check Peach leaf-curl, 
and not injure the scale-killing power. The mixture is 
only intended to kill scale, and is of no use for fungus 
troubles or Codling moth. It is one of the cheapest 
remedies of scale, ft is as easily made and about as 
easily applied as Bordeaux if proper arrangements are 
made to do it. Convenience and economy demand piped 
water supply to elevated making tanks, whether steam 
or direct fire application of heat are used for cooking, 
and also drawing for use from making tanks by a system 
of pipes and valves, straining through screen 30 meshes 
per inch. s. h. derby. 
Delaware. 
THE “CABBAGE SNAKE." -We are still receiving ques¬ 
tions about a “snake” which is said to live in cabbage. It 
is reported that people have been poisoned by it. The Ver¬ 
mont Experiment Station published the following statement: 
“In some parts of the country a small whitish "eel worm” 
or nematode has been found to infest the cabbage. Thus fat- 
no specimens of this or any other form have been sent to 
the station by any of the persons who have made inquiries. 
The larva* of this worm are parasitic upon or prey upon 
the common green Cabbage worm. Owing to the belief of 
negroes and others in the South, that these worms were poi¬ 
sonous, rigorous tests have been made, with the result of 
completely clearing the animal from the accusation. Ex¬ 
tracts made from tlie worm and injected into the system fail 
to produce the least effect, if symptoms of poisoning (not 
indigestion) have been observed after a meal of cabbage, the 
chances are that they were due to carelessness in using 
Paris-green or other insecticide, and carelessness in washing 
tlie heads of cabbage before eating. A good sousing in a pan 
of water will remove any trace of arsenical poisoning which 
may be left upon the leaves after injudicious poisoning.” 
JAPAN TOAD LILY, TRlC'YRTlS HIRTA. NIGRA. NATURAL SIZE. Fig. 21 . 
See Rural isms, Page 40. 
I). WILLARD. 
