INFLUENCE OE THE STOCK. 25 



Quince stock, is sliared by the Pear grafted upon it, whicli be- 

 comes a dwarf; as does also the Apple when worked on the 

 Paradise stock, and, in some degree, the Peach on the Plum. 

 The want of entire similarity of structure between the stock and 

 graft, confines the growth of the latter, and changes it, in the 

 case of the Pear, from a lofty tree to a shrub of eight or ten feet 

 in height. The effect of this difference of structure is very ap- 

 parent, when the Peach is grafted on the Plum, in the greater 

 size of the trunk above, as compared with that below the graft ; 

 a fact which seems to arise from the obstruction which the descend- 

 ing sap of the graft finds in its course through the bark of the stock. 



To account for the earlier and greater fruitfulness caused by 

 grafting on a stock of slower growth, Mr. Knight, in one of his 

 able papers, offers the following excellent remarks. 



" The disposition in young trees to produce and nourish blos- 

 som buds and fruit, is increased by this apparent obstruction of 

 the descending sap ; and the fruit, I think, ripens somewhat ear- 

 lier than upon other young trees of the same age which grow 

 upon stocks of their own species. But the growth and vigour of 

 the tree, and its power to nourish a succession of heavy crops, 

 are diminished, apparently, by the stagnation in the branches 

 and stock of a portion of that sap which, in a tree growing on 

 its own stem, or upon a stock of its own species, w^ould descend 

 to nourish and promote the extension of its own roots. The 

 practice, therefore, of grafting the Pear on the Quince, and the 

 Peach on the Plum, when extensive growth and durability are 

 wanted is wrong; but it is eligible wherever it is wished to 

 diminish the vigour and growth of the tree, and its durability is 

 not so important." 



In adapting the graft to the soil the stock has a marked influ- 

 ence. Thus in dry chalky soils Avhere the Peach on its own 

 roots will scarcely grow, it is found to thrive admirably bud- 

 ded on the Almond. We have already mentioned that in clay 

 soils too heavy and moist for the Peach, it succeeds very well 

 if worked on the Plum. M. Floss, a Prussian gardener, suc- 

 ceeded in growing fine pears in very sandy soils, where it was 

 nearly impossible to raise them before, by grafting them on the 

 Mountain Ash, a nearly related tree, which thrives on the dryest 

 and lightest soil. 



A variety of fruit which is found rather tender for a certain 

 climate, or a particular neighbourhood, is frequently acclima- 

 tised by grafting it on a native stock of very hardy habits. Thus 

 near the sea-coast Awh ere the finer plums thrive badly, we have 

 seen them greatly improved by being worked on the beech- 

 plum, a native stock, adapted to the spot ; and the foreign grape 

 is more luxuriant when grafted on our native stocks. 



A slight effect is sometimes produced by the stock on the 

 quality of the fruit. A few sorts of pear are superior in fla- 



2 



