302 THE NURSERY LIST. 



Plam, continued, 

 varieties are, therefore, essential. Such stocks are largely 

 imported ; but tiiere are some varieties which can be 

 relied upon in this country. One of the best of these 

 domestic stocks is the Horse plum, a small and purple- 

 fruited variety of Prunus domestica, which gives very 

 uniform seedlings. This is sometimes used in New York. 

 It is simply a spontaneous or wilding plum, in thickets and 

 along roadsides. The French stocks which are in most 

 common use are St. Julien and Black Damas. The Myro- 

 balan (P. cerasifera) is chiefly used for plums, however, 

 because of its cheapness and the readiness with which all 

 varieties take on it. The peach is often used as a plum 

 stock, and it is valuable in the south, especially for 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 some- 

 times employed, but results appear to be poor or indif- 

 ferent, on the whole. Prunes thrive upon 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 upon 

 subsequent pruning than upon the root. The Mirabelle [P. 

 cerasifera), a foreign stock, is sometimes used. The many 

 species of native plums, of the Prunus Americana 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 grows 

 rather slowly. It is best to bud or graft low upon 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 punii/a and P. Bes- 

 seyi), which have been used in an experimental way with 

 much promise. 



The native or American plums are budded upon native 

 seedlings, or rarely upon Prunus domestica seedlings ; or 

 they are grown from cuttings, as in the case of Marianna. 



The Japanese plums are worked upon peach, common 

 plum, natives, or Marianna. Peach and Marianna are 

 mostly used, but as the Japanese plums begin to bear 

 ffeely their own seedlings will no doubt be used for stocks, 



