134 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
PLUM STOCKS . 
Summary of Present Knowledge, Regarding Them and Their 
Combinations with Different Kinds of Scions—Use of Myro- 
balan Stock Decreasing—lapanese Stocks for Japanese 
Plums—Americana Stocks In the Northwest—The Hardy 
Sand Cherry—Peach Stocks are cheap. 
In view of the accounts in this journal of experiments by 
Prof. Waugh of the Vermount Station in the propagation of 
plums upon various stocks, it is of interest to note the follow¬ 
ing summary by Prof. Waugh of the knowledge regarding 
plum stocks at the time his experiments were begun: 
Horse plum, or Domestica stock.—The Horse plum is a variety of the 
Domestica group, inferior in fruit, but sturdy, aud uniform in growth. 
It has been much used as a stock for Domesticas and Damsons, and is 
at the present time regarded by many good nurserymen as the best 
practicable stock for plums of these groups. 
Besides the Horse plum, the miscellaneous seedlings of all sorts of 
Domesticas have been used for propagation; but their excessive varia¬ 
tions in strength and habit of growth are against them. 
St. Julien.—This is another form of the Domestica plum, dwarfish, 
hardy and unform of growth. It has been extensively tested for Do¬ 
mesticas and Damsons; but is too slow growing for American nursery 
purposes. 
Myrobalan.—The Myrobalan plum is still extensively used for prop¬ 
agating in this country, great numbers of stocks and considerable 
quantities of the seed being mported from Europe ev ery year. It has 
been most used for Domesticas, Damsons, Japanese and the many nat¬ 
ive American vaiieties. It seems suited to all, or nearly all, of these. 
It is, however, not perfectly hardy in the northern states and Canada, 
and this fact has put a limit to its usefulness. It is easily worked and 
a large percentage of grafts or buds set on Myrobalan stocks “take.” 
It has some tendency to dwarf the varieties worked on it, especially 
those of strong habit. This means that strong-growing varieties usu¬ 
ally overgrow; and overgrowing is often a defect. On the whole, the 
use of the Myrobalan stock in this country is probably on the decrease. 
Marianna.—This is an offshoot of the Myrobalan plum, but commer¬ 
cially distinct, largely from the circumstance that it propagates very 
readily from cuttings. It has been very extensively used in this coun¬ 
try for propagating all sorts of plums, but more especially in the South 
for Japanese, Hortulanas, Chicasaws and Wayland sorts. It has most 
of the advantages of the Myrobalan, being suited to nearly all classes 
of plums. It has, however, the same defects as the Myrobalan, except 
perhaps that it is not quite so readily overgrown, and effort is being 
made by some nurserymen to find a substitute for both Marianna and 
Myrobalan. 
Japanese.—Many horticulturists have felt that Japanese plums would 
be the best stocks for Japanese plums. Very small opportunity has 
offered, however, fcr making the test. The writer has heard of several 
small experiments, without decisive results. If Japanese plum stocks 
of any sort could be readily grown from cuttings, like the Marianna, it 
would be a long step toward their adoption in general nursery propa¬ 
gation. In a few instances this has been done, but never on a commer¬ 
cial scale. There is every reason to believe that Japanese stocks will 
prove useful for Japanese plums, once there is found a way to grow 
the stocks cheaply; but it is fairly doubtful whether or not they will 
ever be useful for other classes of plums. 
Americana.—The use of the native Americana plums as stocks has 
grown up in the northwestern states, aud has been based on the demand 
for something hardier than the stocks in common use. Americana 
seedlings are now grown in considerable quantities, and aie used 
largely in a commercial way. They have proved well adapted to var¬ 
ieties of the Americana, Nigra, and Miner groups; and have been freely 
used with apparently good results for other groups. Domesticas,how¬ 
ever, seem to unite poorly with this stock. 
Nigra.—In general the seedlings of Nigra varieties are grown indis¬ 
criminately with Americanas, so that separate observations are not 
available. For the most part the two kinds may be expected to behave 
alike. Domesticas and the eastern Sand cherry (Prunus pumila) have 
been tried on this stock at the Central experimental farm of Canada, 
with unfavorable results. A fairly good union resulted between the 
Domestica sciou and the Nigra stock, but the scion overgrew strongly 
and finally died. The Sand cherry made a poor union. 
Wayland.— J. W. Kerr, of Denton, Md., who hardly needs to be 
described as an experienced and experimenting propagator of plums, 
has for several years practiced top-grafting all sorts of native plums on 
Golden Beauty (Wayland group) branches. He has had the best results. 
He has also grown seedlings of such varieties as Golden Beauties, Way- 
land and Moreman, and has root grafted on them. The results have 
been encouraging. 
Chicasaw.—In some of the southern states the Chicasaw plums have 
occasionally been used as stocks, particularly for varieties of the Chic¬ 
asaw and Hortulana groups. This stock has sometimes been recom¬ 
mended as being adapted to low, w T et grounds in the southern states, 
but it is doubtful if this point is of much consequence. The one ser¬ 
ious defect of the stock is its inveterate habit of sprouting, so that 
where one plants a plum on a Chicasaw stock he presently has a thicket 
of Chicasaws. 
Sand plum —This dwarf western plum (Prunus angustifolia watsoni) 
has often been suggested as a stock for dwarfing other plums. A few 
experiments have been made with it, but no conclusions have been 
reached. 
Sand cherry.—The western Sand cherry (Prunus pumila besseyi) has 
been tested to a considerable extent in the northwestern states. It is 
very hardy; and this seems to be its chief claim to notice. It distinctly 
dwarfs the varieties worked on it. It is said by Craig and others to 
make a satisfactory union. The fact that the reciprocal graft with 
Marianna makes a good union, may be indicative of itsaffiuity for some 
of the common plums. This is one of the most interesting of the ex¬ 
perimental stocks.* 
Choke cherry.—This species has also been tried in a few cases as a 
stock for plums, but has never proved satisfactory. 
Black cherry.—The common black cherry (Prunus serotina) has also 
been tried; and Mr. Kerr now has a few' trees of Chicasaw varieties 
growing on this stock. The union, however, is unpromising. 
Peach.—Peach pits are always available at the canneries at a low price. 
The seeds usually germinate freely and the seedlings grow strongly. 
For this reason the stocks are almost always cheap. Many nurserymen 
have used them on that account. But they have certain real merits 
beyond their cheapness. They unite well with many of the different 
classes of plums, especially with the freer growing sorts, and more 
particularly with the Japanese varieties. The trees seem to be thrifty, 
healthy and long-lived. In the case of plums propagated on peach 
roots, grafting is much better than budding, which is an empiricism of 
some interest. 
Apricot.—Apricots are extensively canned in some sections, especi¬ 
ally on the Pacific coast; and wherever they are canned the pits are of 
course available for growing for stocks. They have been used for 
plums to some extent; but so far as the writer can learn, are somewhat 
inferior. 
Besides the stocks mentioned here, several others have been tested in 
a very small way. The wild Bird cherry, Prunus pennsylvanica, has 
been tested somewhat, and gives some promise. In California the 
Pacific coast plum, Prunus subcordata, has been tried, but dwarfed the 
scions too much and proved unsatisfactory. 
* “ While the experiments under way in Iowa, South Dakota and other places 
have not continued long enough to determine fully its value, the present indi¬ 
cations are (.1) The roots are perfectly hardy in our worst winters. (2) The 
tree of Americana varieties will be dwarfed to perhaps two-thirds full size, but 
will bear very early. (3) For amateur culture in small gardens there is an ex¬ 
cellent field for Americana plums on Sand cherry stocks, providing the trees 
will not need too much care in heading back to prevent getting top-heavy.” — 
N. E. Hansen , in Am. Asso. Nurserymen IIpt. 1900, p. 56. 
WOULD STOP ALL OTHERS FIR'-T. 
J A. Fossum, Flathead Nurseries, Nov. 20 , 1900 . - “ Inclosed 
find $1 to renew the subscription of the National Nurseryman, now 7 
expired. It is the last paper or magazine I would stop the subscrip¬ 
tion of.” 
The Rhode Island Horticultural Society is formulating a law to 
govern the San Jose scale in Rhode Island. The scale has appeared in 
Providence. 
