SELECTING STOCKS. 235 



sus avium), are the best. Id cold climates they should be 

 worked low down hear the crown. "What are called the 

 Morello, Duke and Kentish rarieties of the Cherry are 

 supposed to have originated from a wild species in 

 Europe, known as Cerasus caproniana, and as a class they 

 are considered more hardy than those that are descended 

 from the C. avium. Seedlings of each group may be em- 

 ployed as stocks for their Tarieties, but the Mazzard is 

 ^ the largest and most free-growing tree, and for this rea- 

 son is usually preferred as a stock for all. The Mahaleb 

 or St. Lucie Cherry {G. Mahaleb), is alow-growing, slen- 

 der-branched species, which is extensively employed in 

 France as a stock for dwarfing the taller-growing varie- 

 ties of other species. It has also been employed — but 

 less extensively — for the same purpose in this country, 

 but it should never be used for what are termed standard 

 trees, or trees with long stems, for if trained high, the 

 leading branches soon become diseased, die back, and if 

 the tree does not perish altogether, it will assume the low 

 dwarf form of the stock. Buds of the different varieties 

 of the cultivated Cherry take very readily on Mahaleb 

 stocks, and usually make a most vigorous growth for the 

 first year or two. This apparent vigor of the young plant 

 has often misled the inexperienced to believe that it would 

 continue in after years if the tree is pruned up as a 

 standard, but the chances are ten to one against securing 

 such results. 



Among the Cherries proper, or Cerasus, there are two 

 very distinct groups of species which do not appear to 

 have the least affinity, either in their flowers or wood ; 

 consequently, no hybridizing, so far as kupwn, has ever 

 occurred between the species of the two groups, nor have 

 the plants of one been used as stocks for the other. 

 These two groups are readily distinguished by their 

 flowers ; for in one they are produced in sessile umbels, 

 as seen in the common garden Cherries from Europe, 



