162 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



many sorts otherwise too tender, uncertain, or of feeble growth,, 

 by grafting them upon well-grown, hardy, vigorous native trees 

 known to be well adapted to the soil and climate. 



The plant or limb upon which a graft is set is called a stock, {nol 

 stalk). The stock and the graft (be it a scion or a single leaf bud) 

 form a partnership, the former furnishing the raw material, by the 

 roots, and the latter, by its leaves, digesting it, and manufacturing 

 the product. It is based on the power of union between young- 

 tissues. When similar parts are accurately fitted to each other, 

 the sap passes from one to the other, and under favorable condi- 

 tions, granulations are soon thrown out and a lasting junction 

 effected. 



Success is confined within certain limits. It is greatest between 

 varieties of the same species, as the apple upon the apple — next 

 between species belonging to the same genus ; as the pear on the 

 quince ; and lastly between genera of the same natural order. 

 These last are of short duration and for the most part useless. 

 Between those less nearly allied, no union is effected. The practi- 

 cable range for useful purposes, with us, extends little beyond the 

 following : The apple upon the common apple and the crab for 

 orchard trees, and upon the doucain and paradise for garden cul- 

 ture The peau upon the pear for orchards, and upon the quince 

 for dwarf trees to receive garden culture. Some varieties of the 

 pear have succeeded tolerably on the Mountain Ash, [Pyrui^ 

 Americana,) the White Thorn, {Grateagua Goccinea) and upon the 

 Shadbush, commonly called Sugar Pear, or Juneberry, (^-ImeZan- 

 diier Canadensis,) these being all closely allied species. 



Where the cherry succeeds, it may be worked either on the 

 Ma'zzard for large trees, or on the Mahaleb for dwarfs. The 

 plum has been budded on the peach, giving trees of rapid growth 

 but short lived ; and the peach upon the plum, but the trees al- 

 though hardier than when on their own stock, have rarely given 

 much satisfaction. Little success can be expected in this State 

 with the finer cherries except in very favorable localities and soils, 

 nor with the peach in the open air, except it be trained venj low, 

 60 as to be covered with snow during winter. 



The old adage that " tlie scion ovcrruleth wholl^y, tlie stock 

 being merely passive," needs some modifications, for 'to a certain 

 extent the stock exerts an infiucnce. A plum budded upon the 

 peach is famished with an unwonted auppl}'' of sap, and grows 



