The Story-Book of the Fields 



is added is responsible for the excellence of 

 the fruit. 



So the seeds of apples and pears are sown, 

 and the kernels of apricots and peaches, and 

 on the trees thus obtained, branches are 

 grafted, taken from pear-trees, apple-trees, 

 apricot and peach-trees, the fruit of which is 

 known to be of superior quality. Thus on 

 the same tree the root and stem of the hardy, 

 almost wild, kind is allied to the foliage and 

 flowers of that which is weaker but more 

 perfect. Any variety of pear-tree can receive 

 the graft of any pear-tree, or any peach-tree 

 can receive a graft from any other ; and the 

 same thing is true for all fruit-trees. This is 

 called grafting on a free stock. Any wild 

 pear-tree, cherry or plum-tree growing in 

 the hedges or woods may be used as a stock. 

 The splendid rose of our gardens is made to 

 grow on the common wild rose of the hedge, 

 whose modest flowers have only five petals, 

 pale pink and almost scentless. Sometimes 

 different, but closely allied, species are used. 

 Thus the pear-tree may be grafted on the 

 quince, the fruit of which resembles a large 

 pear ; the apricot may be grafted on the 

 plum, the peach on the plum, or on the 

 almond, which resembles the peach by its 



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