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So some of you might have seen my other grafting post where I talked about some very old Apple trees discovered on old abandoned farmland. I joked about the fact that Johnny Appleseed grew up in the area, knowing full well that known of those trees I had seen were that old. I went back today and found a new tree, and I may have been wrong...

Pictures coming soon...

It's a good idea clowndog.
The apple that Johnny Appleseed was supposed to be so fond of was the Rambo Apple. Also called Romanite.....Bread and Cheese.....Seek no Further....and Delaware.
Believed to come originally from Sweden with a Peter Rambo in 1637.
Interestingly, Johnny Appleseed was said to not be particularly fond of the sweet Apple ( Malus Pomela ) as he felt it against his religion as it was a hybrid. He preferred the wild bred Apple from wild seedlings.

This tree has a diameter of about 29". It is mostly hollow. No way to know the variety at this point.
Sadly this tree will probably be cut down within just a few days.
I was able to take some cuttings. Even a couple young water shoots from where the tree had broken at some time past. Will try grafting to one of my trees but it may be to late as the scion would on this tree was buds bursting.

Any idea of a surefire way to root apple cuttings?

One trick might help Clowndog
If you can get one or two of those shoots in the picture where the tip bud has just broken.
Around four to six inches in length.
Dip on rooting compound and plant into well gritted potting compost. Cut the tip bud off and seal the cut with wax to stop water loss.
With a bit of luck there should be a couple of still dormant buds lower down the scion that will still break.
Worth a go?

Jon,
Cut the buds when potting them?
Also, realistically how old do you think a tree like that is?

Yes...as you go to pot the scion cut off that bud at the top that has sprouted. Paint the wound with wax or a sealant so that no water can escape from the scion. Then with luck a dormant bud down the shoot may just break. Fingers crossed though.
What I'm hoping is that the scion will start to root before that bud breaks.
If the bud breaks first....then it may well die before the root takes over. That's why I hope that the lower buds are fully dormant still.

As to age.....a tree that size may well be 80 or more years old.
We've got Blenheims that age with the same hollow trunks...and still going.

I have an old tree like that. The trunk is rotting very badly. I was going to try doing air layering this year. It made tons of delicious apples last year. It was hard to believe it had it in it. I tried sprouting some seeds in the refrigerator but no luck.

Perhaps one other point.
If possible , the scion might stand a better chance of survival if you could graft it onto another apple tree rather than trying to root it at this stage of advanced growth.

Jona,
I am trying some grafts too. Just thought because the scion had broke dormancy it doesn't stand a very good chance.

Peter1142 Do you still have any of the seeds? If so I'll get them to sprout for you if you want.