Hello,

We've got a 'grise de canada' (canada grey in english I suppose)
apple tree, that I'm a little undecided as to whether to yank
and replace or stick with a little longer. It's a half high
graft, and the bark around the base of the trunk is gone
except for a perhaps 3 inch strip. Nibbled by rabbits when
young, maybe. In spite of this the trunk and graft look
healthy enough, but the branches, after decent budding and
a few flowers, show only very small leaves that quickly dry
out and fall. They sometimes resprout, but never vigourously;
there is some branch dieback. Further, last year there was
a large growth of oyster-type (looking, anyway, I didn't try
further identification) mushrooms sprouting from the base.

We haven't seen an apple from it in about 3 years, it's been
in about 10.

My tendency is to call for the neighbor's tractor, and pull
it out. (That of course has problems of its own, as he'll
wait for the soggiest day possible to do it, leaving me to
deal with the ruts afterwards ). I have two conflicting
opinions on this: a friend who is a well known garden designer,
(note, not "dig in earth" gardener), suggests leaving it. The
old fellow who delights in trapping the moles and persecuting
the foxes, and who has lived in the village his 80+ years,
says "elle est KO." in his typically gruff manner.

I've tried any number of potions against insects and diseases
sprayed on in the last several years, to no avail. (It's also
covered with enough lichen to hide most of the buds, but that's
not unusual here). I guess if I do replace it I'll try
to get an old variety that is perhaps more disease resistant.

Unfortunately because it's in a little orchard, any
replacement pretty much has to go in the same place...
Would that be a problem? Any opinions on the viability
of this tree? TIA.

-E


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Emery Davis
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