THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
185 
FRUIT STOCKS 
A Thorough Discussion of the Subject by Prof. W. L. Howard, 
University of Missouri. 
Some time ago the writer of this article sent a list of ques¬ 
tions to several of the leading nurscrvanen throughout the 
United States. These questions covered several practical 
points bearing upon the nursery business as now practiced. 
This information was desired as an aid to teaching a course in 
Plant Propagation in the Department of Horticulture of a 
middle west University. The questions together with a 
summary of the answers follow: 
1. How are apple seeds handled previous to planting? 
They may be handled in different ways. Seeds received 
from France come packed in powdered charcoal. They are 
usually received in February or early March. Such seeds are 
usually soaked in water for about three days, changing the 
water every twelve hours. They are then put into bags and 
placed between cakes of ice where they are kept until the 
nurseryman is ready to plant them. Upon receiving their 
seed some nurserymen stratify them in moist sand throughout 
the winter and plant them in early spring. Some others 
merely soak them in water previous to planting. 
2. What do you understand by French Crab Stock? 
“French crab seeds are gathered from cider mills in France 
and washed out of the pomace. The apples, strictly speak¬ 
ing, as we understand it, are not crabs. They are simply 
kinds of seedlings that make the most cider and in case one 
kind excels in producing cider, it is propagated for that pur¬ 
pose, but their cider orchards are not what we would call crab 
apple trees. Many of the trees in these orchards are grown 
from seed. I have been through their orchards in France; 
they are mostly medium sized apples and of different colors 
and in a good season the trees bear very heavily and have to 
be propped up. These native apple seed are very vigorous 
and far superior to seed produced from budded stock. The 
orchards are almost entirely in one section, called Normandy, 
and nearly all of the seed are shipped from LeMans, which is 
located southwest of Paris. In the sections where these 
orchards are they drink champagne cider instead of wine. 
The private houses and hotels gave this drink on their tables 
nearly every day. The French people do not grow their 
apples for the seed, they grow them for the cider, the seed 
being a side issue.” 
3. What is Vermont crab stock and how extensively is it 
now used in the United States? 
The so-called Vermont crab stock consists of seed saved 
from the cider mills of New England. The apples for the 
most part seem to be native seedlings; that is, trees that have 
always been propagated from the seed. Mixed with this 
stock are seeds from cider apples of several named varieties. 
In other words the seeds come entirely from cider stock con¬ 
sisting both of seedlings and low grade fruit of named varie¬ 
ties. 
It is thought that much stronger stock can be produced 
from seedling a])ples than from budded or grafted trees. On 
this account the Vermont stock is being used less and less each 
year because it is found that not only are the old seedling 
orchards falling into decay and growing weaker all the time 
but the mixture of too many seeds from budded and grafted 
varieties has lessened the value of the stock. One nursery¬ 
man says: “The higher you breed up the apple, the Ic.ss 
vitality the seed has.” 
In the north and west the Vermont crab stock seems to be 
used the most abundantly. In the middle west and easl the 
French stock is used almost exclusively. The estimates by 
nurserymen of the amount of Vermont crab stock now used 
rank all the way from 5 to 75 per cent. Perhaps a conserva¬ 
tive estimate for all parts of the United States would be not 
over 15 per cent. 
• 4. Does the United States produce pear seed in commer¬ 
cial quantities? 
Keiffer pear seed are secured from fruit growers in the 
eastern states to a limited extent. The little that is offered 
for sale comes from New Jersey and Maryland. Nurserymen 
believe that the Japan pear seed is far better. While most of 
the Japan pear seedlings come from Japan, some are now 
being grown by French firms, particularly during the last 
year. Possibly Japan stock is also grown in Holland. 
5. To what extent do we grow pear stock in this country ? 
That is, which is imported most largely the seeds or seedlings? 
Practically all of the Keiffer pear stock is grown in this 
country. There are quite a good many Japan pear stocks 
grown in the United States. One of the largest importing 
nurserymen says: “There have never been any Japan or 
Keiffer pear seedlings imported in past year, but the last year 
or two they are growing them in Holland, Germany and 
France in a small way and I would not be surprised if more 
Japan pear seedlings are imported in the future, although 
they are usually grown here and in the past there have been 
enough of the home grown stock to supply the market.” 
Nurserymen seem to like the French grown pear seedlings 
best because the French growers transplant them soon after 
they start which causes them to make branched roots. 
These are thought to be the best for stock for budding and 
grafting. It is believed by many that the Japan stock are 
much stronger growers than the French seedlings. Some 
complain that the foliage of the French pear stock is not 
healthy in this country; at lea.st, not as healthy as the Japan 
stock. 
6. Are the imported pear seed or seedlings designated by 
definite name; that is, must the importer ask for French 
stock, Japan stock, etc., when ordering, or merely say he 
wants pear stock? ' 
It is necessary to designate the exact kind desired. 
7. To what extent is cherry stock grown in the United 
States? What kind is most used—Mazzard, Mahaleb, 
Americana, etc.; that is the percentage of each ? 
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