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in this State are not very favourable to the prune, although a 
decided improvement is noticed in the moisty South-West. 
Peach and Nectarine Stock. 
Peach on peach stock gives the best result. For this purpose 
peach stones are collected in the season, and when winter comes they 
are stratified in sand or in light loam in boxes out in the open. In 
the spring they may be put out in nursery rows. Some nurserymen 
erack the hard shell with a specially constructed nut-cracker, in 
order to obtain a better germination. When a foot or two high 
the tap-root is severed from the plant by pushing a spade obliquely 
underneath the young sedlings, which thus strike stronger surface 
roots. When they have recovered, they are budded, and the plants 
either put out next winter, or, if not vigorous enough, kept in the 
nursery for another year. In grafting on peach, extra care has to 
be taken to fit the scion well and wax carefully, as the peach bark 
shrinks back badly. 
The Apricot Stock. 
According to nature of climate and of soil, stocks of various 
kinds are used. The apricot, as a rule, does not unite very readily 
with its stock, and it at times snaps at the graft under the weight 
of a heavy crop, and under pressure of a strong gust of wind. 
Apricot on apricot seedling does well on loamy soil in warm, 
moderately dry localities. Under such conditions it does equally well 
on peach stock. The resulting trees are vigorous growers, and at 
times are even too apt to waste on rank growth energy that should 
have been directed in maturing a fruit crop. Apricot roots are 
generally known by the reddish look of the bark when slightly 
seratched with the nail or a knife. Apricot on almond is not a 
desirable union; the trees do well for a few years, but generally 
die out when they begin to bear. Apricot on Myrobolan and St. 
Julian plum stocks have .the advantage on heavy wet soil, but all 
varieties do not unite very satisfactorily, and in this respect the 
American plum stock is preferable. The plum stock, as a rule, has 
a dwarfing tendency, and the union of stock and scion is never 
perfect, whilst the tree is more liable to gumming disease. 
The Cherry Stock. 
Three stocks are chiefly used—ihe AM/a:zard or sweet cherries, 
including Bigarreaus for the Heart type, and all lofty and rapid- 
growing sorts. 
The Mahaleb for small dwarf varieties 
The Morello, or common Red Pie cherry, for dwarf trees of the 
Duke and Morello classes. 
The Orange and other Citrus Stock. 
A number of stocks have been tried for trees of the citrus 
family, and while some possess special points of merit, such as rapid 
