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On Nov 18, 2004, at 2:26 AM, BTCJOHNSTONE@aol.com wrote:

> Does anyone have suggestions for seedling rootstocks for apples and pears? If possible I would like to impart disease resistance to the scions, and I would like to use seedlings rather than dwarfing root-stocks because of browsing problems.
>  
>  
>                        Thank You for any help
>  
>                                   Bruce

My uncle has heavy deer problems, but both his M7 and M109 are big enough that a good portion of the tree is out of reach.  I think with average size trees, you can use the larger semi-dwarf rootstocks.   I've planted some trees on M111 which I expect to grow above the local deer.

I took a grafting class at the Arnold Arboretum, which is borderline zone 7 (being close to the ocean).  The instructor provided seedlings of Antonovka, which he  said produced a healthy tree that doesn't sucker much.  He said that's what he made all of his trees out of, since he didn't need to dwarf them.  (Obviously, with seedlings, every one is a little different, and you don't really know what you will get.)  If you want antonovka seedlings, St. Lawrence sells them in the "edible landscaping" section of its catalog.  ( http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us/eorn.html )  I'm sure there are other sources, too.

Ginda