ON CONIFEROUS STOCKS. 51 



The Red Cedar (Juniperus Virgiiiiaiia) makes an admirable 

 stock for the better sorts of free growing' Junipers ; they take 

 and grow freely upon it. To describe its free growth, hardiness, 

 and inditference to soil would be superfluous, it being well known 

 not only to all lovers of Conifers, but also to almost every 

 admirer of liardy shrubs. I have reason to believe that on this 

 stock many Cypresses would take and grow well. When 

 Cupressus thurifera was first introduced into this country a large 

 seedling was planted out of doors in this nursery ; it soon grew 

 freely, but perished under seven or eight degrees of frost. A 

 " worked " plant was planted precisely in the same place, and 

 it has now survived several winters, sustaining from fourteen to 

 sixteen degrees of frost without protection, and having only its 

 foliage and branches, which had been growing late, injured. If 

 this plant were in a high dry situation (the locality is low), where 

 it could ripen its wood early and well, I entertain no doubt 

 that on this stock it would be perfectly hardy. What a lesson 

 should this not teach us ! In the same way we might cultivate 

 many of the more delicate Pinuses, and many other valuable 

 trees. If our climate will not give them sufficient terrestrial 

 or atmospheric heat, \yhj not treat them as we do our more 

 delicate fruit trees, such as the Peach and Apricot, viz. work them 

 on a stock adapted to the climate ? I have reason to know that 

 this to a considerable extent may be effected. Now if Cupressus 

 thurifera will grow, as it does, splendidly upon the Red Cedar, 

 why should not many other of the new and rare Cypresses do the 

 same ; and how much superior will it not prove to the stock 

 generally employed, namely, C. sempervirens, a plant not per- 

 fectly hardy in the northern parts of Britain ? 



Among Yews there are many beautiful and interesting species 

 and varieties ; they may be propagated freely from cuttings, and 

 grafted with facility. The common Yew forms a good stock for 

 all the other kinds, more especially if raised from seed : plants 

 from cuttings are not so suitable. The Irish Yew makes a still 

 better stock ; grafts unite and grow more vigorously on it than ou 

 the common Yew. It is not, however, often used as a stock, 

 being more valuable than the common Yew. 



In conclusion I may remark that it is not my intention to go 

 through the various sections into which Conifers are now divided, 

 or to write a general treatise on all the stocks employed in their 

 culture : my object, as I stated at the outset, is merely to glance 

 at the sections generally, and especially at those most extensively 

 propagated in this way. Other persons may have found other 

 stocks equally good and useful ; but I feel confident that for 

 general purposes the above cannot be surpassed. 



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