GENERAL INFORMATION 



205 



8. Stocks for Fruit Trees 



There is great variation in stocks for fruit trees, and great need of 

 studies to determine the best stock to use for given conditions. Some 

 important experimental work in this field is being done by the New 

 York Agricultural Experiment Station and should be watched closely. 



At present, the wild French Crab furnishes most of the stocks for 

 apples. It comes not only from France but from all Central Europe 

 and is exceedingly variable. Many apple seedlings are now grown 

 in the United States. Dwarf apples are grown on the stock of the wild 

 Paradise apple, and semi-dwarf trees on stock of the Doucin apple, both 

 from European sources. 



Pears are grown on wild French pear seedlings ; Japanese and Chinese 

 stocks for pears are on trial. Dwarf pear trees are grown on quince roots. 



The quince is commonly grown on stock of the Angers quince, a 

 variety which is worth little except as a stock. 



The cherry is budded on stocks of the Mazzard and Mahaleb cherries. 

 Mazzard stock has come mainly from Europe in the past but is now 

 being grown extensively in this countrj^ also. In some cases seedlings of 

 cultivated sweet cherries are sold as Mazzard stock. This causes much 

 variation in the results secured. Under favorable conditions Mazzard ^ 

 stock gives a larger tree of longer life than does Mahaleb. The stock 

 is more susceptible to leaf spot, however, than the Mahaleb. It is 

 more difficult to secure a good stand of buds in the nursery. Mahaleb 

 roots are more hardy and will succeed under more diverse conditions 

 than Mazzard and are less expensive for the nurseryman to grow. In 

 the East, at least, growers should insist upon sweet cherries on Mazzard 

 roots and should expect to pay more for them. In the West, the Stock- 

 ton Morello is used as a dwarfing stock for cherries. Sweet cherries 

 on Mahaleb roots are often short-lived, and although sour cherries 

 grow quite satisfactorily on Mahaleb roots, recent evidence indicates 

 that they also will thrive better on the Mazzard stock. 



The peach is grown on stocks from pits of the wild peaches of 

 Tennessee and the Carolinas, and Jrom the seeds of cultivated varieties. 

 The former are preferred. Plum stocks are sometimes used for standard 

 trees to be planted on heavy land. 



Myrobalan stock of European origin is used almost entirely in the 

 East for plums. In the colder sections plums are worked on the hardy 

 native plum species. St. Julien plum stock from France is also used 

 to some extent for plums, the claim being that it produces longer-lived, 

 hardier trees. The Marianna plum stock is used in parts of the South. 

 Peach stocks are used sometimes for plums on warm sandy soils, espe- 

 cially for the Japanese or Salicina varieties. 



