THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
152 
VARIATION IN SEEDLING APPLES 
F. C. Bradford, Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station 
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 
In 1913 and 1914 1 he Missouri Agricultural Experi¬ 
ment Station established an orchard of seedling apple 
trees of known parentage, in furtherance of a project 
in breeding late blossoming varieties. Though a com¬ 
plete report on the main object of this project obviously 
cannot be written yet, tbe orchard affords, as a by-pro¬ 
duct, some interesting differences in growth which 
should be at least suggestive to nurserymen and to fruit 
growers. 
The orchard contains at present 217 trees. Numerous 
crosses arc represented (sixteen in all) by various num¬ 
bers of trees, ranging from one each of four crosses to 
72 of the most numerous. Perhaps the most obvious pe¬ 
culiarity of the orchard is the unevenness in growth 
shown by the trees. A close examination, however, re¬ 
veals some method in Ibis confusion, in that certain com¬ 
binations show a tendency to produce trees of rather uni¬ 
form growth while other combinations present an undue 
number of “runt” trees. The data presented in tabular 
form, including only tbe combinations represented by the 
largest numbers of trees, fall short of presenting the 
differences as clearly as they meet the eye in the or¬ 
chard. However, certain points stand out. The most ob¬ 
vious is the smaller growth of trees from crosses that in¬ 
clude Geniton. Individual trees of these crosses make 
Circumference of Seedling Trees from various crosses 
Average Circumference 
No. 
of 
Year 
circum¬ 
ference 
Largest Smallest 
tree tree 
Parents trees 
planted 
inches 
inches 
inches 
Delicious x Daru 
28 
1913 
13.93 
17.6 
9.4 
Delicious x Ingram 
72 
1913 
12.38 
16.5 
6.6 
Daru x Ingram 
24 
1913 
12.48 
16.4 
1.0 
Delicious x Geniton 8 
1913 
9.25 
14.7 
2.4 
Wolf River x 
Geniton 
40 
1914 
9.31 
13.8 
3.0 
Jonathan x 
Geniton 
13 
1914 
9.27 
14.3 
4.5 
Stayman x Geniton 8 
1914 
9.30 
12.2 
7.1 
rather satisfactory growth, but—what the summarized 
figures do not show—the larger percentage of under¬ 
sized trees pulls the average down. The difference of a 
year in age between the two groups can hardly be held 
accountable for the differences shown here since the 
group showing the smallest average growth of all was 
planted in 1913. Including all trees in the orchard, the 
average circumference of trees with Geniton parentage 
is 9.2 inches, of trees without Geniton parentage, 12.7 
inches. 
The significance of these figures lies in the fact that 
the trees discussed are on their own roots. It is hardly 
conceivable that a tree grafted or budded on roots that 
have produced a tree of four inch circumference would 
be as large as a tree worked on roots that have produced 
a twelve or fourteen inch tree. 
Unfortunately, since the experiment was inaugurated 
with a quite different object in view, measurements 
earlier than those of this spring are not available. Every¬ 
thing, however, points to the relative differences between 
trees having been maintained over a long period. The 
trees that are largest have made uniformly good growth 
year by year as shown by their branches; those that are 
smallest have never made good growth. This is in ac¬ 
cord with experimental results on citrus trees in Cali¬ 
fornia, in which trees segregated by sizes as they came 
from the nursery maintained or increased their differ¬ 
ences in the orchard. 
To the grower this matter assumes importance when 
he is buying nursery stock. The small tree may be small 
because it has had adverse environment, in which case 
it will ultimately make a good tree; on the other hand, 
it may be small because it has not in itself the power to 
be anything else, in which case it never can make a good 
tree however favorable its surroundings. At present 
there is no sure way of distinguishing between the 
stunted tree and the “runt” tree. It must therefore be 
regarded with suspicion. The grower buying the poor 
grades of nursery stock may get satisfactory results, but 
he is taking a big chance. 
To the nurseryman or seedling grower the data pres¬ 
ented should be suggestive. With the present rather con¬ 
fused state of the apple seedling business and the pos¬ 
sibility of considerable expansion in this country, the 
source of the seed should be carefully watched. It seems 
probable that careful study will show seeds of certain 
varieties to make more satisfactory stocks, with fewer 
culls, than seeds of other varieties. Much of the cider 
mill pomace comes now from cull apples of standard var¬ 
ieties; it may prove desirable to segregate the pomace of 
certain runs in the mill from that of other runs made up 
of other varieties. The difference in percentage of runts 
may make this well worth while. In any case the matter 
is worth study. 
WANTED 
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| WANTED | 
E Married man with experience in growing- general line of E 
j| Nursery Stock, willing to work and live on premises. Will M 
= sell interest in the business to the right man. Give refer- | 
= ence. THE CUBETON NURSERIES, Austell, Ga. 1 
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* 
* 
-¥• 
* 
* 
¥ 
* 
WANTED —By a reliable nursery firm in Kansas 
capable of securing and handling retail salesmen. 
a man 
Address No. 25, Care of Tlie National Nurseryman. 
★ 
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WANTED—ASSISTANT FOREMAN 
Young man with experience in growing a general line of 
nursery stock, including fruit and ornamental stock for posi¬ 
tion as Assistant Foreman. Give references and complete 
information first letter. 
McKAY NURSERY COMPANY, Madison, Wis. 
Nurseries at Waterloo, Wis. 
$ 
xb 
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& 
Rfe 
2.V 
WANTED —Position by experienced nurseryman, thoroughly 
acquainted with ail branches of nurserywork, accustomed to 
wait on retail trade and capable of doing landscape gardening. 
At liberty July 1st. 
CHRISTIAN SCHULLER, WALDO, FLA. 
£ 
