256 



■CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING-. 



scions may be rendered useless by evaporation. 

 Healthy trees only should be used from which to 

 propagate, and all showing any trace of canker or 

 other disease should be entirely avoided if possible. 



Various stocks are used for the Apple, such as the 

 Crabs, English and French Paradise, Doucin, and 

 that raised from the pips of Cider Apples. The 

 Paradise stocks and Doucin are propagated by layer- 

 ing, detached when rooted, grown to a suitable size, 

 and grafted. If dwarf trees are wanted, the stock 

 is headed down to within six or nine inches of the 

 ground, and likewise for pyramids and trained trees. 

 Standards are also grafted low if the sort used is 

 strong-growing, and likely to produce a strong, 

 straight stem ; otherwise they are grafted standard- 

 high. Grafting near the ground is advocated, on the 

 principle that trees broken by the wind can reno- 

 vate themselves by pushing fresh buds from the 

 graft below the breakage. 



Whip-grafting in March is the best mode and 

 time. Should the operation be delayed till the 

 season is too far advanced, budding, either common 

 or the American shield, may be practised with a 

 reasonable amount of success. This may also be 

 done in spring, with equally satisfactory results. 



The " Report of the Committee of the National 

 Apple Congress, held at Chiswick, October 5th to 

 25th, 1883," forcibly shows the vital importance of 

 stocks. Soil, situation, and degree of latitude exer- 

 cise a considerable influence on the growth, produc- 

 tiveness, and quality of Apple produce, but all these 

 can be modified to a remarkable degree by the proper 

 selection of stocks. For orchard trees, the Crab is most 

 universally employed as a stock, and they are the 

 longest-lived, but the produce is seldom of first-rate 

 quality. On light gravelly soil the Crab has the advan- 

 tage of striking its roots deeply into the subsoil, thus 

 deriving a greater amount of moisture than those 

 trees with restricted roots. On deep, rich, and well- 

 drained soils, in favourable climates, excellent Apples 

 are produced by trees on the Crab. Other stocks 

 are occasionally employed in orchards, such as the 

 Doucin, of a character intermediate in vigour be- 

 tween the Crab and the Paradise stocks. In the 

 good orchard districts of Somersetshire, a variety of 

 Apple known as the Morgan Sweet is more or 

 less extensively used as a stock. The immediate 

 results of grafting on the English Paradise are a 

 dwarfing effect, the earlier and abundant bearing of 

 the trees, larger and more highly coloured fruit, 

 together with superior quality, and general excel- 

 lence. The largest and best-coloured Apples are 

 those obtained from bush, pyramid, cordon, espalier, 

 and other trees, grafted on the Paradise stock. For 

 wall trees, those marking off the divisions in the 

 kitchen garden, or otherwise grown in restricted 



spaces, necessitating much pinching or pruning, no 

 better stock could be employed. On the other hand, 

 the Paradise stock, from its shallow -rooting nature, 

 is ill adapted for thin and sandy soils, especially if 

 resting on gravel, being unusually disposed to canker, 

 and become prematurely old and unproductive, the 

 Crab proving the best stock under such conditions. 

 See also the special article upon this fruit. 



The Pear. — The most successful and all-round 

 useful method of grafting the Pear is that termed 

 whip-grafting. Several stocks belonging to different 

 species or sub-genera have been successfully em- 

 ployed. The Pear stock, as might readily be sup- 

 posed from its equality of growth with the scion, is 

 the most natural for the Pear. The orchard is the 

 most suitable place for Pears on the natural stock, 

 on account of the great space required for their 

 proper development before arriving at full bearing 

 condition. A deep, rich, well-drained soil is neces- 

 sary, before a satisfactory return can be obtained. 

 The roots of the Quince naturally feed near the 

 surface, and are thereby more under the cultivator's 

 control, and more easily warmed by sun and air. The 

 Quince is also a smaller tree than the Pear, and 

 exercises a dwarfing influence over it. The second 

 result is an earlier reproductive condition, and the 

 fruit is not only larger, but better-coloured, and 

 more abundant. This is unquestionably caused by 

 the ill-matched rates of growth between the scion 

 and stock, offering an obstruction to the free descent 

 of elaborated sap towards the root. For bushes, 

 espaliers, and all wall trees, the Quince is therefore 

 the best stock for the Pear. This stock is propa- 

 gated by layering. Being disposed to start into 

 growth early, both stock and scion should be cut 

 down in December or January. The former should 

 be grafted as close to the roots as possible, that the 

 point of union may be covered with the soil, which 

 will modify the inequality of growth. 



The Pear can also be grafted on Pyrus aucu- 

 paria, Pyrus Germanica, Cratcegus oxyacantha, and 

 probably others; but the results, as far as ascer- 

 tained, are less satisfactory than those attending the 

 use of the Quince stocks. (See also the Peak.) 



The Peach and Nectarine.— These may be 

 grafted on the same or other species of the same 

 genus, Primus, but budding is most generally prac- 

 tised both in this country and in America, as well as 

 on the Continent. Great difference of opinion exists 

 as to the best stock to use. Knight recommends 

 that the Peach should be grafted on the Peach stock, 

 while admitting that the fruit of those trees budded 

 on the Plum is larger and better-coloured, though 

 inferior in quality. It has been proved, however, 



