170 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



concern themselves very little with the kind of stocks on 

 which their trees are worked. 



The stock, because of its naturally small stature, 

 may dwarf the tree (see page 168) ; some stocks are par- 

 ticularly adapted to given soils; others escape certain 

 injuries; others make poor or short-lived union with the 

 cion or top. 



The apple is budded or grafted on French crabs, 

 which are apple seedlings imported from Europe, or on 

 seedlings grown from American cider-mill seeds. The 

 American stocks are raised mostly in the Middle West, 

 and are often preferred to the foreign stocks, but most 

 nurserymen seem to prefer the imported stocks. If it is 

 desired that the apple trees shall be dwarf, they are worked 

 on stocks that themselves never make large trees, as the 

 doucin and paradise types; these stocks are imported 

 from Europe. 



In severe northern climates, apples are worked on 

 seedlings of Russian apples, and also on Siberian crab. 



Pears are grown on imported French seedlings. The 

 supply of pear seed is so limited in this country that 

 growing the seedlings on an adequate scale cannot be 

 attempted; and the risk from pear-blight is also too great. 



The peach is adapted to a variety of stocks. It is 

 preferable to have peach on peach stocks, in most cases; 

 but the peach root is specially liable to root-knot far south 

 and another stock may be necessary in that case, and plum 

 may be used, — ^the Marianna probably being best for 

 light lands. The myrobalan plum is used for peach stock, 

 but has a dwarfing effect, and it is not suited to all 

 varieties. There is a choice even of peach stocks, it being 

 considered that seedlings from southern pits are better 

 than those from the northern canneries. 



