Stocks, Fruit 



( 365 ) 



Stoking 



STOCKS, FRUIT. 



The majority of the varieties of the larger kinds 

 of fruits do not crop satisfactorily when growing 

 upon their own roots. They are, therefore, 

 " worked " upon certain stocks. The best stocks 

 are, for bush and pyramid Apples, the Broad-leaved 

 English Paradise ; for standard Apples, the Crab 

 and Free ; for bush and pyramid Pears, the 

 Quince ; for standard Pears, the Pear ; for Peaches 

 and Nectarines, the Damas Noir and St. Julien 

 Plums ; for Cherries, the Gean, Mahaleb, and 

 Morello ; and for Plums, the Mussel, St. Julien, 

 and White Pear Plum. The process of working is 

 by budding or grafting, which see. 



STOCKS, GARDEN. 



Description. In the Stocks that are grown in 

 gardens for the beauty and fragrance of their 

 flowers there are broadly three divisions : (1) Ten- 

 Week, (2) Brompton, and (3) Intermediate. The 

 varieties in these sections have been raised mainly 

 from JIathiola incana, M. i. annua, and M. sinuata 

 (urd. Cruci ferae). These clearly defined sections 

 are more or less subdivided. 



Ten-Week Stocks. This, the most popular 

 section, comprises those which flower throughout 

 the summer. The plants are easily grown, and it' 

 the strain is a good one a line proportion of double 

 varieties will be secured. There are sure to- be a 

 number of singles in each packet, and where beds 

 of Stocks are grown the plants should be about 4" 

 or 5" apart, so that when observable the singles 

 may be drawn out without spoiling the effect of 

 the bed. If one could ensure all double plants 10" 

 to 12" asunder on well-enriched, deeply dug 

 ground would produce a superb display. Seeds 

 should be sown in shallow pans or boxes of light, 

 sandy soil in March, and as soon as possible the 

 seedlings should be pricked out into other recep- 

 tacles. The next move ought to be either singly into 

 small pots or (i" apart in lines on a special bed of 

 soil made up in a frame, whence the plants may be 

 transferred to the positions in which they are to 

 flower. This should be done early in June, a little 

 earlier or a little later according to the condition 

 of the soil ami the weather. Or seeds may be 

 sown out of doors in April, and the plants, with 

 attention to thinning, will Hower in August. When 

 used for bedding, Ten-Week and Pyramidal Ten- 

 Week Stocks should be properly staked, and if 

 liquid manure be generously applied as the plants 

 advance into flower the spikes will be much im- 

 proved in size and substance. A few plants should 

 always be grown in pots, if only for their delicious 

 fragrance. Successional sowings may be made in 

 accordance with requirements. The varieties are 

 usually sold in packets of distinct colours. 



Selection of Ten- Week Stocks : 

 Large Flowering, 1', sum.; Dwarf German, 1', sum.; 



many vars. 

 Large Flowering Pyra- 

 midal, 1J', sum.; many 

 vars. 



many vars. 

 Robust Rocket, 2', sum. ; 



many vars. 

 Wallflower-leaved, K', 



sum. ; many vars. 



In addition to these there are several varieties 

 with distinctive names, all of which range from 1' 

 to 2' high, and flower in summer. 



Brompton Stocks. These are biennials, and 

 comprise a much more limited range of colour than 

 is found in the Ten-Week section. Though 

 reputedly very hardy, many plants die off every 

 winter, and for this reason they have not the 



popularity of those already mentioned and the 

 Intermediate type. Seeds should be sown in July 

 or August in the same manner as Ten- Week Stocks, 

 but the young plants are best wintered in frames, 

 and planted in the early spring, when they will soon 

 flower. The soil must be deep and well drained, 

 particularly when they are wintered out of doors, 

 where they must have protection from sharp frosts 

 and cutting winds. Seeds sown in March will 

 flower in September. The Queen Stock is prob- 

 ably a form of the Bromptou, and requires similar 

 treatment. , 



Selection of Brompton Stocks : 



Brompton, 1", spr., aut.; Queen, U', spr., aut. ; 

 many vars. many vars. 



Intermediate Stocks. This is a splendid section, 

 which, with the Ten-Week, will provide fine 

 flowers for many months of the year. Seeds 

 sown in cold frames in July will produce plants 

 for flowering in spring, and those from a March 

 sowing will commence to flower in August and 

 continue through September, and often later. 

 The Ten-Week flowers in the summer, and thus 

 a very prolonged season is secured. The plants 

 are dwarf and bushy in habit, and produce spikes 

 with considerable freedom. The seedlings must be 

 allowed ample room for development, as attenuated 

 plants never give the same satisfaction as those 

 %vhich have come on sturdily and strongly from 

 the very first. 



Selection of Intermediate Stocks: 



Intermediate, lj', spr. , Emperor, large flowering, 



aut., crim., pur., sc., if', spr., aut.; many 



wh. vars. 



East Lothian, 1J', spr., GiantCape, U', spr., aut., 



aut, crim., pur., sc., crim. , pur. ,"sc., wh. 



wh. ; a magnificent 



form. 



STOCK, VIRGINIAN (see MALCOMIA). 



STCEBE. 



Small, evergreen, greenhouse shrubs from South 

 Africa (urd. Composite), of no horticultural value. 



STOKESIA. 



Cyanea is the only known species (ord. Com- 

 positae). It is a perennial herb, suitable for the 

 greenhouse or outdoors. It grows 1J' in height, 

 has alternate, lajiceolate leaves, and bears numerous 1 

 Aster-like heads of blue flowers in August. Prop, 

 agate by division in spring. Loamy soil, 



STOKING. 



Though not a pleasant operation, this is assuredly 

 one of the most important, and upon its proper 

 performance will greatly depend the successful 

 culture of plants under glass. An annual examin- 

 ation of the boiler and appurtenances should be 

 made by an expert in August, or some time when 

 the services of the fire can be dispensed with for 

 a time. Foul chimneys should then be cleansed, 

 all defective valves and joints repacked, and any 

 dilapidations repaired. 



Given a clean start, a monthly clearance of the 

 flues should suffice throughout the winter to keep 

 the fire going well, though where coal is used, and 



Stissera (see Curcuma). 

 Stitchifort (see Pttdiaria). 

 Stizoltfbitim (we Murnna.). 

 Stobtea (< Jtcrklicya), 



