i8 BEGINNERS' GUIDE TO FRUIT GROWING 



tical use has ever been made of this. The keeping 

 quality of fruit is influenced in the same way. If 

 earlier maturity is forced through the influence of 

 the stock, this will cause a shorter keeping season. 

 On the other hand, if a stock tends to give a tree 

 a later period of maturity, the fruit will keep longer. 



The flavor is sometimes influenced by the stock. 

 A variety grafted on a sweet apple tends to develop 

 a sweetish flavor. 



Color is also modified at times in the same way. 

 As a rule, of course, color, like flavor, will be modi- 

 fied in the direction of the same quality in the par- 

 ent stock. A striped apple grafted on the stock of 

 a dark red apple will tend to become darker in color. 

 These influences are sufficient in some cases to 

 make an important difference in exhibition speci- 

 mens, but otherwise are of no practical consequence. 



We may conclude, then, as we began, that while 

 these modifications due to the action of the stock 

 are very interesting, they are usually negligible in 

 practice, and in general fruit growing no practical 

 advantage can be taken of them. 



STOCKS FOR VARIOUS FRUITS 



In the propagation of trees in the nursery, a 

 primary problem is always to secure suitable stocks. 

 In some cases they are grown in the garden of the 

 man who does the budding or grafting, while in 

 other cases it is better economy to buy them in the 

 open market. 



Apple stocks may be grown in any garden, by 

 planting apple seeds. The apple seeds should be 

 taken from cider pomace, washed out, dried, and 

 kept until the following spring. They are then 



