164 THE NEW HORTICULTURE. 



for instance, on its own roots as a stock, and top-budded 

 with another valuable variety, will give better fruit from the 

 seed than if that variety had been grown on an inferior seed- 

 ling stock. 



This opens a new and wide field for experiment and im- 

 provement, especially of our earlier varieties, on the point of 

 size. Of course, experiments must be conducted at a reason- 

 able distance from the pollen of other trees, or selected 

 branches protected from foreign pollination, when a true 

 hybrid is desired. If this principle of graft and bud hybrid- 

 ism be true, and the facts point strongly that way, it will 

 afford for the ordinary fruit-grower an easy and certain 

 method of experimenting with all kinds of fruit, and will 

 add greatly to his interest in horticulture, as well as result in 

 new and improved varieties. My efforts are now being 

 directed not only toward originating hardy sweet oranges, 

 but also larger and finer peaches than will now bear well this 

 far South. With that view I have now growing for stock, on 

 their own roots, the Elberta, Mamie Ross, Sneed and 

 Triumph, none of which are productive here, and have top- 

 budded them with Waldo, Angel and Imperial, all of the 

 oriental type, and exceedingly productive and of excellent 

 quality, though the fruit is almost too small for market. As 

 the latter bloom long before the former Persian varieties, it 

 has been impossible heretofore to cross them by the pollen. 

 The same difficulty lies with the Trifoliata and common sweet 

 oranges, the latter*all blooming first. I herewith append a 

 statement from Mr. E. P. Stiles, editor of the Horticultural 

 Gleaner, published at Austin, which bears on this subject : 



Dear Sir I have a very fine seedling peach, which I have been 

 fruiting for many years, using until lately common seedlings indis- 

 criminately for stocks. I have noticed a very great variation in the 

 conduct of this peach on different stocks, both in vigor and produc- 

 tiveness, as well as size and appearance of the fruit. By chance I 

 propagated several trees on Mountain Rose seedlings, and found 

 them so superior on that stock that I am now using it exclusively, and 

 find that it continues to maintain its superiority. This difference in 

 the fruit is not due to any local causes, tests having been made to 

 determine that point. Referring to the subject of graft hybrids, on 

 which you are experimenting, I must say that I can see no reason 



