THE NURSERY-LIST 277 



valuable in the Northwest, where great hardiness is demanded. 

 Seedlings do not sprout or sucker badly, but the natural suckers, 

 which are sometimes used for stocks, are likely to be more trouble- 

 some in this respect. If strong-growing tops are worked on 

 morello stocks, however, there is usually little annoyance from 

 suckering. Mahaleb stocks are generally used for the morello 

 cherries. 



It is probable chat some of the native American cherries can be 

 used as stocks. The common wild red, pin, pigeon or bird cherry 

 (Prunus pennsyhanica) has already been used to some extent. 

 The sweet and sour cherries unite readily with it, and bear very 

 early. It is yet to be determined how long the trees will persist, but 

 trees sixteen or eighteen years old have been still healthy and 

 vigorous. It is considered to be a very promising stock for the 

 cold prairie states. The dwarf or sand cherries (Prunus pumila 

 and P. Besseyi) give promise as dwarf stocks. 



Cherry stocks are worked both by budding and grafting. Bud- 

 ding is the common method. The stocks should be fit to work the 

 season they are transplanted, or in the second summer from seed. 

 Such as are too small for working then may be allowed to stand 

 until the following year ; or if the number is small, the poor ones 

 are rooted out. 



In the West, where great hardiness is required, the varieties are 

 crown-grafted on mazzard stocks in winter. Yearling stocks are 

 used, and the cions are 6 to 10 inches long. When planted, only 

 the top bud should be left above ground. The cion strikes roots, 

 and own-rooted trees are obtained. 



The ornamental cherries are worked on the same stocks as the 

 fruit-bearing sorts. Mahaleb and mazzard are commonly used 

 for all species, the latter for weeping forms which need to be worked 

 high. 



Cherry trees can be top-grafted, as are apple or pear trees. 

 They are usually grafted very early in the spring. The chief 

 requisite is that the cions be completely dormant. They should be 

 cut in winter and stored in an ice-house or a cold cellar. It is 

 probable, however, that durable trees cannot be secured by top- 

 working. 



The Japanese flowering cherries are of different species from 

 the fruit-bearing cherries, being forms mostly of Prunus serru- 

 hita, P. Lannesiana, P. Sieboldu, P. yedoensis, and P. subhirtella. 

 These may be worked on mazzard and other stocks of European 



