Question
I too have old family fruit trees that I would like new plants from.  One is an apple tree-don't know the variety and the other is a pear tree.  I took cuttings from both trees in hopes to root and plant.  Is that possible or should I get seeds from the fruit?  These are very old trees planted by my grandfather when he came to this country in 1900.  Will I get the same fruit as the parent trees?

Answer
Hi Diana,
Thanx for your question.  My guess is that your grandfather had heirloom trees.  The seeds from these trees will probably result in trees that are true to the parents.  You can experiment with the seeds by planting them in pots about 1 inch deep in moist but not soggy potting soil and set these pots outdoors during the winter as long as you have temperatures that fall to 32 F or below.  Keep the pots watered throughout the winter and you should have some seedlings the next year.  You may also take softwood (green) cuttings from the trees in the early summer and make the cuttings about 6 inches long.  Strip all but the last two leaves off of the cutting and dip the cut end into a root hormone such as Rootone which is available at the bigger Nurseries and Garden Centers.  Plant the cuttings in a planter with soil less mix which is moist but not soggy.  Keep the planter warm (75-80 F).  Keep the cuttings spritzed a couple of times a day and you should have rooting in about 8-10 weeks.  Check for roots after 8 weeks by digging around (gently) the cuttings to look for white roots.  I hope this helps.  Trees planted in 1900 were probably not hybrids.  
Tom