108 PRACTICAL PLANT PROPAGATION 



"In the provinces of Honan and Chili, Syringa Meyer i is grafted 

 on Ligustrum Quihoui, while around Shanghai, Syringa oblata is put 

 high up on Ligustrum lucidum so as to make standard specimens. 



"The Tea Olive, Osmanthus fragrans, which grows on its own 

 roots in Central China, is grafted on the Chinese Fringe Tree, 

 Chionanthus retusa in the province of Shantung, while in the other 

 northern provinces one finds it grafted on Ligustrum Quihoui. In 

 Peking and Tientsin, Prunus triloba, Prunus tomentosa, flowering 

 Apricots and flowering Peaches, are all grafted on the remarkable 

 drought and alkali resistant, Amygdalus Davidiana, and since this 

 stock is a very early one, the Chinese use it extensively in forcing. 



"The tree Peony, Pxonia suffruticosa, is generally grafted on 

 the roots of a very hardy herbaceous Peony, Pseonia albiflora. 

 Various species of rare Junipers are put on Oriental Arborvitae 

 stock, Thuya orientalis. The ordinary Pear from North China 

 thrives to perfection on a very drought resistant stock which bears 

 fruits not larger than Peas, Pyrus betulsefolia. The Persimmon, 

 Diospyros Kaki, is grafted in North China on the 'Ghoorma,' 

 Diospyros lotus, while in Central China wild forms of Kakis are 

 employed. 



"In Soochow I have seen a yellow-berried Ivy, Hedera himalaica, 

 grafted high up on the stem of an Aralia, and a large flowering Snow- 

 ball, Viburnum macrocephalum, put on the stem of another species 

 of Viburnum, while in Shansi, standard tea Roses are grafted on 

 strong stems of Rosa xanthina, which is very resistant to alkali and 

 dry heat." 



Absurd statements concerning graftage have continually been 

 made by persons who have allowed their imaginations to rule their 

 writings. Even Virgil speaks of Apples growing on Plum trees 

 a core fruit on a stone fruit. We believe such things impossible. 

 Martial speaks of the Cherry on the Poplar. Madame de Genlis 

 claims to have grafted the Rose on the Rlack Currant, to obtain 

 black Roses. A prominent New York newspaper published with 

 seeming sincerity the account of a table d'hote tree which, by grafting, 

 grew Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Apples, and a dozen other 

 crops on one specimen. It was advised for planting in the small 

 backyard! 



SO-CALLED GRAFT HYBRIDS OR CHIMERAS 



In 1826, at Vitry, France, M. Adami grafted Cytisus purpureus 

 upon Laburnum vulgare, and there came from the point of union a 

 branch which was hybrid in nature. It bore pink, yellow and 



