400 THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



light soils. In the North plum stocks are better. Marianna is used 

 southwards, very likely too freely. Almond stocks, especially for 

 the French prune and for light soils, are considerably used in 

 California. The apricot is sometimes employed, but results appear 

 to be poor or indifferent, on the whole. Prunes, which are varieties 

 of plums, thrive on the above stocks also. 



Various stocks dwarf the plum. The chief dwarf stock at present 

 is the myrobalan. This is imported. It is easily grown from seeds, 

 or sometimes from cuttings. Although the myrobalan, like the 

 mahaleb cherry, is a slow grower, the dwarfing of the top depends 

 more on subsequent pruning than on the root. The mirabelle (a 

 form of P. cerasifera), a foreign stock, is sometimes used. The 

 many species of native plums, of the Prunus americana, P. Mun- 

 soniana and P. angustifolia (Chickasaw) types, are good stocks for 

 dwarf or intermediate trees. In most cases, the bud or graft grows 

 luxuriantly for two or three years, and thereafter rather slowly. 

 It is best to bud or graft low on these stocks. Unless the tops are 

 freely and persistently headed in, however, dwarf plum trees are 

 not secured. The only exception to this statement seems to be in 

 the use of the native dwarf cherry stocks (Prunus pumila and P. 

 Besseyi), which have been used in an experimental way with much 

 promise. 



The native or American plums are budded on native seedlings, or 

 rarely on Prunus domestica seedlings ; or they are grown from 

 cuttings, as in the case of Marianna. 



The Japanese plums (Prunus salicina, formerly called P. triflora) 

 are worked on peach, common plum, natives, or Marianna. Peach 

 and Marianna are mostly used, but seedlings of the Japanese kinds 

 should be preferable. Peach is probably preferable to Marianna. 



Prunus Simonii works on peach, common plum, myrobalan and 

 Marianna, chiefly on the first. 



The ornamental plums are worked on the same stocks as the 

 fruit-bearing sorts. See Prunus. 



Plums (like cherries) can be top-grafted the same as apples, but 

 the cions must be kept completely dormant. It is preferable to 

 graft very early in the spring. 



Plumbago (Leadwort). Plumbaginacece. ' 



Propagated by seeds, division and cuttings. The cuttings are 

 made from nearly mature wood, taken either in autumn from plants 

 growing in the open or in the spring from stock plants. 



