42 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



discussion over all Europe the extremes were urged on 

 both sides. 



47. Commercial Stocks. The real truth is that budding 

 and grafting may give us as healthy and long-lived fruit- 

 trees as can be grown on own roots. To illustrate: If we 

 bud or graft a favorite variety of the plum on a thrifty 

 seedling of our native species it will prove equal or superior 

 as a fruit-bearing tree to one on its own roots. The 

 decision rests on the securing of stocks hardy and healthy 

 in a given section of our own country or Europe. The 

 pro and con discussion comes from the use of the same 

 commercial stock over a vast region running through many 

 degrees of latitude and longitude. As an instance, the 

 Prunus Mahaleb or St. Lucie wild cherry grows freely on 

 the mountains over west Europe. Its pits are gathered in 

 vast quantity and used over Europe and America for stock- 

 growing. As a stock for low rich soils it has been a failure 

 in Europe and America, but on high dry land it is a 

 grand success wherever it does not root-kill in severe inland 

 climates, and when its use is confined to the uncolored- 

 juiced cherries. The colored-juiced varieties make an 

 imperfect union with its wood in Europe and America. 



Investigation will show that grafting and budding as 

 practised universally in this country is a process near to 

 Nature and will give healthy and long-lived trees, but it is 

 necessary to get nearer to Nature in the selection of seeds 

 for stock-growing. At this time the use of the red wild 

 cherry (Prunus Pennsylvanicd) stocks in cherry propaga- 

 tion is being urged in the Northwest and in parts of 

 Canada, and several are growing the stocks. In South 

 Dakota, Professor Hansen and others are urging the use 

 of Siberian crab stocks in apple propagation. The use of 

 native plum stocks is almost general west of the Great 

 Lakes. As the years go on the stock question will be ad- 



