2OO PLAXT PROPAGATION 



Japanese and peach are often preferred for sandy soils, 

 Americana for American varieties and St. Julien, though 

 costly, for Domestica and Insititia. Mariana is still 

 used in the central southwest, but in most other se.ctjons 

 is unpopular because it makes poor unions. 



In Europe, myrobalan is considered a dwarfing stock 

 which produces short-lived trees ; in America it is widely 

 preferred because it produces larger and finer two-year 

 trees than do other stocks. In the South, however, it 

 suckers badly, and in the prairie states it winterkills. 

 Its cheapness, ease of budding and general perfection of 

 unions are strong points. Because of its variability there 

 are many "true" and "false" mybrobalans among nursery- 

 men. Formerly stocks in France were grown from cut- 

 tings ; now apparently from seed. 



St. Julien has been claimed to produce longer-lived, 

 thriftier, hardier, deeper-feeding trees which sprout less 

 than those on other stocks ; but its cost, hardness to bud, 

 poor growth and liability to fungi in the nursery are 

 against it. Horse plum is now "wholly superseded." 



Peach is largely used for many varieties of plum to 

 grow on warm, sandy or gravelly soils. It conduces to 

 quick growth and early bearing and the roots produce no 

 sprouts. Budding is easy, the trees make vigorous 

 nursery growth, probably at less cost than on any other 

 stock. Japanese varieties do especially well on peach. 

 For Domestica and Insititia varieties it is not so valuable 

 because of poor unions and tender roots. Varieties said 

 not to unite well with peach are : Lombard, Damson, 

 Yellow Egg and Washington. Peach borers are some- 

 times troublesome on peach stocks. 



Mariana appeals more to nurserymen than to fruit 

 growers, because it readily strikes roots from cuttings, 

 and nursery growth is ideal. Growers favor it less than 

 formerly, and it is declining in popularity because it has a 

 dwarfing effect and is prone to sucker. 



Americana seedlings are the only ones that will with- 



