C 199] 



XLIX. On the Effects of different Kinds of Stocks in grafting. 

 By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. F. R. S. fyc. President. 



Read February 6, 1816. 



The practice of propagating fruits of different species, by 

 grafting upon stocks of other species, has been so extensive, 

 both in ancient and modern times, that the good and ill 

 effects of it can scarcely be supposed to have escaped the 

 observation of gardeners. Accurate information upon this 

 subject can, however, only be acquired by experiments ac- 

 curately made, and closely attended to, during many suc- 

 cessive years, upon the comparative good and ill effects of 

 stocks of different species, when growing in soils of the same, 

 and of different qualities : and no such experiments, have, 

 I believe, ever been made in this country, nor, to a proper 

 extent, in any other. Du Hamel has pointed out, with his 

 usual ability, the erroneous opinions entertained by his 

 countrymen upon this subject, and has given some valuable 

 information, which I have cited in a former communication ;* 

 but he admits, that relatively to some very important points, 

 he only details the opinions of others ; and he laments that 

 he has not himself made the experiments necessary to decide 

 the questions, which he wishes to investigate. I also feel, 

 that I am not, by any means, master of the subject upon 

 which I have taken up my pen to write : but I believe, that 

 I have made and seen the result of more experiments, during 

 the last thirty-five years, than any other person ; and I ven- 



* See page 19 of this volume. 



