72 THE CHERRIES OF NEW YORK 



States trouble cherries in the niorsery row; and, more to the point than all 

 else, in New York at least, is not nearly as badly infested with the shot- 

 hole fungus, Cylindrosporium padi, which often ruins plantations of Maz- 

 zard stock. Mahaleb stock, too, is more easily " worked " than the 

 Mazzard both in the actual work of budding and in having a longer season 

 for this nursery operation. Cherries on Mahaleb ripen their wood earlier 

 than those on Mazzard and may thus be dug earlier in the fall. 



Nurserymen and fruit-growers alike agree to this statement of the 

 superior merits of the Mahaleb as a nursery plant. The facts set forth 

 are matters of common observation — so well known that it is not neces- 

 sary to verify them experimentally. A half-century of experience in America 

 on many soils, in many climates and under widely varied conditions has 

 demonstrated that it is easier to grow cherries in the nursery on the Maha- 

 leb than on the Mazzard stock. 



From experience in the orchard, fruit-growers have established several 

 facts as to the relative value of Mazzard and Mahaleb stocks from their 

 standpoint. These are: 



1. Cherries on Mahaleb are hardier to cold than those on Mazzard 

 stocks. This hardiness is due, in part at least, to the fact that cherry 

 wood on Mahaleb ripens sooner than on Mazzard. This superior hardi- 

 ness of the Mahaleb is evident in the ntirsery-row as well as in the 

 orchard and is a matter of great importance in northern nursery regions. 

 In this connection it should be said that the Mahaleb is not as hardy as 

 might be wished and that there are, as we shall later show, still hardier 

 stocks. 



2. There is no question but that the Mahaleb is a dwarfing stock. 

 It came into use and in Europe continues to serve almost the sole purpose 

 of dwarfing varieties worked upon it. This retarding effect is not fully 

 realized by American cherry-growers because for the first few years the 

 diminution in size is not apparent and even at the close of a decade the 

 difference in size is not as marked as it wovild be between standard and 

 dwarf apples or pears of the same age. 



3. Cherry-growers who have tried both stocks agree that most varie- 

 ties come in bearing earlier on Mahaleb than on Mazzard stocks. From 

 the known effects of dwarfing on other fruit trees this would be expected. 



4. The size of the cherries is the same on trees grown on the two 

 stocks. The claim is made that apples and pears are a little larger on 

 dwarf trees and that when peaches and plums are dwarfed the fruit is 



