196 SUCCESSFUL FKUIT CULTURE 



PROPAGATION OF THE PLUM 



Varieties of plums axe propagated by budding on 

 several kinds of stocks^ the most in use being the French 

 or Myrobalan, strong growing varieties of the native 

 or American plum, and the peach stock. Por the Euro- 

 pean varieties the Myrobalan is most largely used, though 

 the use of the American stock is increasing. The Jap- 

 anese plums are grown on both the Myrobalan and 

 the peach stock, the former doing the best when to be 

 planted on heavy soil and the latter when to be set 

 on rather light soil. The nursery treatment is prac- 

 tically the same as in the growth of the apple, and the 

 amateur finds no great difficulty in growing good trees. 

 Some growers are using peach roots on which to graft 

 the Japanese and some American varieties, the claim 

 being that when worked in this way, and planted deeply, 

 roots will soon grow from the cion and thus the trees are 

 on their ovm roots in a short time. The Japanese plums 

 grown on peach stocks are generally large enough for 

 planting at one year from the bud. 



PROPAGATION OF THE APRICOT AND NECTARINE 



These two fruits are propagated in the same man- 

 ner as the peach, being budded on the peach stock. 



PROPAGATION OP THE CHERRY 



Like the plum, the varieties of the cherry are prop- 

 agated on imported stocks. Two kinds are used, the 

 Mahaleb and the Mazzard, the latter being most largely 

 used and most valuable. The soil for the best results 

 is a light, rather rich loam, kept well cultivated, by 

 which means the seedlings are brought into good condi- 

 tion for budding the last of August. If growing very 

 rapidly at the time the buds are inserted, it is often 

 the practice to head back the dfeedlings to check their 



