243 PKOPAGATION OF PLANTS. 



North America, grow freely on the Elm ( Iflmus). The 

 common American and English Elm may both be em- 

 ployed as stocks for the Planeras. 



QcTBRCUS (Oak). — In selecting stocks for the Oaks, the 

 propagator will secure the best results by taking seedlings 

 of closely related species of each of the several groups that 

 are usually designated under such names as White Oaks, 

 Black and Eed Oaks, Chestnut Oaks, Willow Oaks and 

 Evergreen Oaks. The English Oak and our native White 

 Oaks are closely allied and may be interchanged as stocks 

 for each other. The European Oaks (Q. Rohur and 

 Q. pedunculata), will probably serve as stocks for a larger 

 number of species and varieties than any other two species 

 that have been tried. Most of our North American 

 Oaks take on these quite readily, while, on the contrary, 

 very few of the American species will answer as stocks 

 for the European varieties. The Chestnut Oaks come 

 next, as the acorns of both groups mature the first year. 

 The Willow Oaks are biennial fruited, and some of them 

 almost evergreen, consequently not so closely allied as 

 the two first groups. The Scrub, Black and Red Oaks 

 have rather coarse-grained wood, and are rather indiffer- 

 ent stocks to work, even for varieties of their own species. 

 The Q. Ilex is the species most usually employed as a 

 stock for the evergreen species and varieties, although 

 most of the evergreen Oaks may be readily propagated by 

 cuttings. 



Ehododendeon (Rose Bay). — The R. Ponticum, from 

 Southern Europe, has been more extensively employed as 

 a stock than any other species, and while it has served 

 the purpose well in Europe, it is inferior in growth and 

 hardiness to our native species, R. maximum and R. 

 Catawliense. The former is superior to the Pontic 

 species as a stock for the Rhododendron in this country, 

 although probably not so readily obtained, or so cheap. 



