120 



greater distance, the advantages of more transplanta- 

 tions than from the seed-bed to the nursery, and 

 thence to the orchard, may reasonably be questioned. 

 {Knight on the Apple, 66.) 



In selecting stocks, however, for the apple, it should 

 always be borne in mind, that the Paradise stock will 

 not answer for the ordinary orchard standard. Apples 

 grafted on this stock will never make such large trees 

 as those grafted on the free or crab-stock. The Pa- 

 radise stocks are therefore peculiarly fitted for a 

 dwarfing system, and in this respect well adapted to 

 the modern improved kitchen garden. The Paradise 

 stock, however, is of rather tender habits, and requires 

 a very generous kind of soil. It will not thrive either 

 in so clayey, or so sandy, or gravelly a soil as the 

 common crab, therefore some caution is necessary in 

 adopting it. If any jealousy exists on this head, the 

 same end may be obtained by using the free stock, 

 and by transplanting it about a couple of years after 

 grafting, first encouraging it to grow rather luxuriant. 

 In this transplantation all tap roots should be cut away 

 if intended for the kitchen garden, and a slight top 

 dressing should be applied : this will soon compensate 

 for the loss of the tap roots by an increased amount 

 of surface fibres, which, holding more sympathy with 

 the atmospheric action, will be found eminently con- 

 ducive of bearing habits. 



Grafting old Trees, — There are few plantations 



