Propagation 



grafted on the crab, and pears on wild pear, will all 

 make very big trees. 



Thus the chief reasons for grafting are : (i) to save 

 time, and (2) to produce a number of trees or plants 

 which will possess a desired character or characters. 



STOCKS. Stocks for the apple are : (i) paradise 

 stocks of which there are very many different 

 varieties. The broad-leaved English paradise gives 

 strong and vigorous trees, the " Non-such " paradise 

 gives medium trees, and the French paradise has an 

 extremely dwarfing effect on the grafts ; (2) wild 

 crab, which makes big trees and is chiefly used for 

 standards ; and (3) seedling apples grown from the 

 " pips," of which it may be said that the thorny 

 ones resemble the crab, and the t hornless, fibry- 

 rooted ones resemble paradise stocks. 



Stocks for the pear are : (i) quince for dwarf trees 

 and (2) wild pear for standards. Whitethorn and 

 mountain ash have been used also for pears. 



For the plum we have many stocks, including 

 common plum, mussel plum, Brompton plum, 

 myrobella plum and several others. The common 

 plum is best for " bush" plums. Plums, and almonds 

 also are employed for peaches and nectarines, whilst 

 wild cherry and mahaleb are used for cherries. 



Stocks should be planted in the autumn as 

 advised for fruit trees in Chapter II. 



WHEN TO GRAFT. The stocks should be grafted 

 about eighteen months after planting, but when 

 planted early in October, they are sometimes 

 worked at the end of six months. 



April is generally the best month for grafting, but 

 everything depends on the season. 



The operation may be successfully performed in 



