INFLUENCE OF THE STOCK. 
25 
Quince stock, is shared by the Pear grafted upon it, which be- 
comes a dwarf; as does also the Apple when worked on the 
Paradise stock, and, in some degree, the Peach on the Plum. 
The want of entire similarity of structure between the stock and 
graft, confines the growth of the latter, and changes it, in the 
case of the Pear, from a lofty tree to a shrub of eight or ten feet 
in height. The effect of this difference of structure is very ap- 
parent, when the Peach is grafted on the Plum, in the greater 
size of the trunk above, as compared with that below the graft ; 
a fact which seems to arise from the obstruction which the descend- 
ing sap of the graft finds in its course through the bark of the stock. 
To account for the earlier and greater fruitfulness caused by 
grafting on a stock of slower growth, Mr. Knight, in one of his 
able papers, offers the following excellent remarks. 
“ The disposition in young trees to produce and nourish blos- 
som buds and fruit, is increased by this apparent obstruction of 
the descending sap ; and the fruit, I think, ripens somewhat ear- 
lier than upon other young trees of the same age which grow 
upon stocks of their own species. But the growth and vigour of 
the tree, and its power to nourish a succession of heavy crops, 
are diminished, apparently, by the stagnation in the branches 
and stock of a portion of that sap which, in a tree growing on 
its own stem, or upon a stock of its own species, would descend 
to nourish and promote the extension of its own roots. The 
practice, therefore, of grafting the Pear on the Quince, and the 
Peach on the Plum, when extensive growth and durability are 
wanted is wrong; but it is eligible wherever it is wished to 
diminish the vigour and growth of the tree, and its durability is 
not so important.” 
In adapting the graft to the soil the stock has a marked influ- 
ence. Thus in dry chalky soils where the reach on its own 
roots will scarcely grow, it is found to thrive admirably bud- 
ded on the Almond. We have already mentioned that in clay 
soils too heavy and moist for the Peach, it succeeds very w T eil 
if worked on the Plum. M. Floss, a Prussian gardener, suc- 
ceeded in growing fine pears in very sandy soils, where it was 
nearly impossible to raise them before, by grafting them on the 
Mountain Ash, a nearly related tree, which thrives on the dryest 
and lightest soil. 
A variety of fruit which is found rather tender for a certain 
climate, or a particular neighbourhood, is frequently acclima- 
tised by grafting it on a native stock of very hardy habits. Thus 
near the sea-coast where the finer plums thrive badly, we have 
seen them greatly improved by being worked on the beech- 
plum, a native stock, adapted to the spot ; and the foreign grape 
is more luxuriant when grafted on our native stocks. 
A slight effect is sometimes produced by the stock on the 
quality of the fruit A few sorts of pear are superior in fla- 
