The Cultivated Native Plums and Cherries. 83 



well upon the peach, as do also Miner, Forest Rose, and perhaps 

 all the Hortulana type. Recently the Marianaa has come to be 

 a pofjular stock upon which to work all varieties; and as far 

 as known it is one of the best, although I fear that its indiscriimi- 

 nate use may result in some disappointment. Mr. Gr. Onderdonk, 

 a ^^ell-known nurseryman and fruit grower of Texas, is certain 

 that the Marianna is preferable to the peach as a stock for the 

 southern native plums. His reasons for this opinion are as 

 follows :* 



''First. 'I lie peach sometimes spi-outs from the roots. The Mari- 

 anna never does this. 



'• Second. The peach has more eyes or buds near the surface of 

 the soil, both above and below, than the Marianna. These eyes 

 cause at least two or three times more pruning in the case of 

 peach stocks than in Marianna. 



" Third. The peach requires better drainage than the plum stock. 

 I raise good healthy plum trees on Marianna stocks in places 

 where it would be useless to plant anything on peach stocks. 



•' Fourth. The peach stock is subject, under certain conditions, 

 to root-rot. I have never seen a case of root-rot among IVIariannas. 



"Fifth. While the Marianna is subject to root-knot as well as 

 the peach, yet it very seldom fails to have the knot at the bottom, 

 so that it can be cut away without injury to tree. In case of 

 peach stocks the tree is usually lost when infested with root-knot. 



'' Sixth. In extreme southern Texas peach seeds fail to germi- 

 nate either totally or partially after a mild winter. In the spring 

 of 1890, not a single peach seed genninated in this section. We 

 ha\'e much annoyance from this source. On the contrary we have 

 never failed of securing a good stand of Marianna plants from 

 cuttings, when they have been properly treated. Therefore the 

 ^Marianna makes us a sure supply of stocks for propagation of 

 plum trees, which the peach does not do in southern Texas. Far- 

 ther north these conditions may be less worthy of consideration. 



" Seventh. As each peach seedling is a distinct variety from 

 evtry other one, and the different varieties vary materially in vigor 



* Fruit Growers, Journal. 



