PARADISE APPLE STOCKS. 



8 9 



PARADISE APPLE STOCKS : THEIR FRUIT AND BLOSSOM 



DESCRIBED. 



By Ronald G. Hatton, M.A. 

 (Director of Wye College Fruit Experiment Station, East Mailing.) 



It is now six years since the various types of Paradise Stock described 

 in our first report in this Journal * were planted out on their own 

 roots and trained as cordons. The object of so doing was not only 

 to observe their strength of growth, but to test their precocity, and 

 if possible to obtain early bloom and fruit to aid us in the work of 

 identification and classification. 



As has already been shown, the characteristics of wood growth, 

 foliage and even rooting habit are sufficient and easy guides to 

 identification for any eye possessing an elementary capacity for 

 seeing botanical differences. At the same time, in order to supple- 

 ment and complete the work of classification, the present notes and 

 photographs should be of interest and permanent value as a record 

 to the pomologist, and the additional notes with regard to precocity 

 in fruiting and cleanness of fruit may afford some guide in the practical 

 selection of the various types of Paradise Stock for special purposes. 



Since the issue of our first report on this subject a considerable 

 amount of knowledge has been accumulated with regard to the 

 adaptability of the various Paradise types to different methods of 

 propagation. Their habits of growth and root systems have been 

 under close observation, and it has been possible to give some indica- 

 tion as to the suitability of each type for a particular purpose. These 

 forecasts have recently been summarized and published for the 

 immediate use and guidance of growers in three of the weekly journals 

 of gardening and fruit-growing, so that it is unnecessary to enlarge 

 upon them here.f It is, however, worth recording that the so-called 

 Paradise Apple Stocks are now generally recognized by the nursery 

 trade as falling into distinct types, and that an important con- 

 ference of nurserymen held at this station in October 1918 definitely 

 decided to adopt a common nomenclature and to take active measures 

 to put the question of apple stocks upon an altogether sounder footing. 

 We may confidently predict that within a few years the fruit tree 

 buyer will be in a position to order his apple trees upon stocks 

 guaranteed true to name and uniform in quality. 



The inquiries into the types of Paradise Apple Stock have 

 emphasized the fact that there is in reality no strict dividing line 

 between the so-called ' Paradise ' or ' Dwarfing ' stocks and the 



* Jour. R.H.S. vol. xlii. pp. 361-99. 



t This summary is now being issued in leaflet form and can be obtained 

 in due course from this station. 



