250 THE NURSERY. [March. 
The apricot proves the most durable on stocks of the plum kind. 
It will also grow on its own, and on peach and almond stocks; but - 
on either of the two last it will not be durable. 
For peaches and nectarines, several sorts of stocks are occasion- 
ally used; such as plum, peach, almond, and apricot stocks, all 
raised from the stones of the fruit, and the first kind from layers 
and suckers also. If a plum could be procured of such vigorous 
growth as to keep pace with the peach, it would be an acquisition 
of infinite importance; for on such, the peach would be as perma- 
nent as the plum itself. In Europe, all their peach trees are work- 
ed on the plum; but with us, the growth of the peach is so rapid, 
as in a few years to overgrow the stock, when wrought on any of 
the kinds of plum which we have yet procured. The kind particu- 
larly selected for this purpose in Europe, is the muscle plum.. 
Almonds will take and grow on any stock which answers for the 
peach. 
Medlai'S will grow on either medlar, white-thorn, pear, or quince 
stocks; but those of its own genera are preferable. 
Filberts will succeed by budding or grafting on the common 
hazel-nut tree, raised either from the nuts or by suckers from the 
roots. 
The first thing to be done towards this work, is to select the 
grafts, in the choice of which, the following directions should be 
observed. 1st. That they are shoots of the former year; for, when 
they are older, they never succeed well. 2ndly. Always to take 
them from healthy fruitful trees; for, if the trees from which they 
are taken be sickly, the grafts very often partake so much of the 
distemper, as rarely to get the better of it, at least for some years; 
and when they are taken from young luxuriant trees whose ves- 
sels are generally large, they will continue to produce strong 
shoots, but will be a long time coming into bearing, and are seldom 
so productive, as those which are taken from fruitful trees whose 
shoots are more compact, joints closer together, and whose system 
is already organized for bearing. 3dly. You should prefer those 
grafts which are taken from the lateral or horiz,ontal branches, to 
those from the strong perpendicular shoots, for the reasons before 
given. 
When your grafts are cut oft", open shallow trenches in a dry 
sheltered situation, and place them thinly therein, with their cut 
ends down, drawing up the earth so as that they may be covered 
two-thirds of their length; then lay some light litter thinly over 
their tops to prevent their drying. If a small joint of the last year's 
wood be taken off" with the cion, it will preserve it the better; for 
the old wood being more compact than the new, will prevent its 
imbibing too much moisture from the earth whilst kept there, and 
that can be cut away when you take them up for grafting. If grafts 
are to be carried to any considerable distance, it will be proper to 
pack them up in earth, and surround them with damp moss, if but 
a small quantity, to prevent its drying too soon. 
Always prefer stocks which were raised in the nursery from 
seed; next to these; those raised from layers and cuttings; and, 
