GRAFTAGE 107 



icana, than when worked on P. domestica. Earlier maturing also 

 results in better color. 



11. Influencing flavor of fruit. Grafting may appreciably in- 

 fluence flavor. Angouleme Pears are improved in flavor when 

 worked upon the Quince. Grafted grapes are larger, fewer, and 

 contain more sugar and more acid. 



12. Influence upon root system. The nurseryman can tell the 

 various varieties by their root systems; the cion must cause the 

 difference, because the stocks are mostly the same. 



13. Disease infection. Diseases may be imparted by stock to 

 cion, for example, Peach yellows. 



14. May shorten life. Apples grafted on Pears or Pears on 

 Apples are short lived. Grafting a weak growing cion on a strong 

 stock also shortens the life of the tree. 



15. Avoiding suckers. One reason for budding the Lilac upon 

 Privet is to avoid the bad habit of suckering common to the Lilacs. 



LIMITS OF GRAFTING 



The problem as to just which plants may be grafted upon one 

 another is still far from complete solution. Certain species graft 

 with perfect ease, certain other species in the same genus are united 

 with difficulty. Peaches do not bud readily on the Apricot, but 

 both the Peach and the Apricot may be budded on the Plum. 

 Apparent similarities are confusing. The Horse Chestnut cannot 

 be budded on the Oak, but the edible Chestnut may be so united. 

 Botanically, the Chestnut and the Oak are of one family. Plants 

 belonging to different families cannot be grafted. It is, however, 

 possible to have the Mountain Ash, the European Quince, the 

 Japanese Quince, the June Berry, the Crab Apple, the Pear, the 

 Medlar and the Cotoneaster all in bloom on one Thorn Apple or 

 Crataegus tree. All of these plants belong to the Rose family. 



The late Dr. Frank N. Meyer, well-known plant hunter of China, 

 writes of some interesting grafts made by the Chinese. In the 

 Transactions of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, he says: 

 "It is strange to see how the Chinese gardeners with their primitive 

 methods have learned how to master the propagation of certain 

 plants. One finds, for instance, that in North China Chrysanthe- 

 mums are grafted upon a biennial Artemisia which is very resistant 

 to drought, alkali and rough handling. In Central China again, 

 where there is no alkali, a perennial Wormwood, Artemisia vulgaris 

 indica, is used for the same purpose. 



