January 1, 1909 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
17 
The Orchard. 
——-, 0. ——— 
Fruit Tree Stocks. 
By C. T. Cole, Inspector, Vegetation 
Diseases Acts. Victoria, in the ‘Journal of 
Agriculture,’ Victoria, 
What the foundation is to a house, the 
stock is to a fruit tree, and if trees are 
worked on unsuitable stocks disappoint- 
ment will result, the tree will cease to be 
healthy and vigorous, and ultimately die 
or become useless. 
Apple.—In Australia, we have made 
quite a new departure with regard to 
apple stocks. Inthe Old Country the 
seedling apple, or more commonly termed 
the crab stock, is the one used by nursery - 
men and orchardist, except in the caso of 
‘Paradise’ 
however, 
dwarf apple trees, when the 
stock is Here, 
found, after ssme years experience, that 
the crab stock was so subject to the woolly 
aphis (Schizoneura Lanigera) that it was 
almost impossible to cultivate apples at 
all; in fact apple culture was nearly at a 
standstill when the two so well 
known blight proof varieties, ‘Winter 
Majetin’ and ‘Northern Spy’ were intro- 
After a certain amount 
used. it was 
how 
duced as stocks. 
of prejudice was overcome, growers on al] 
hands recognised this discovery as a boon 
and cultivators adopted it freely Th® 
“Northern Spy’ has proved better adapted 
as a stock than the ‘Winter Majetin’ and 
is now almost exclusively used: 
There are several other blight-proof 
kinds of apples which could doubtless be 
used ag stocks, but there is no need to 
increase the number except for special 
purposes. Among thoughtful cultivators 
the question suggests itself—is it desirable 
to keep to one stock only, and propagate 
by layers, roots, or grafting of roots? I 
think it is, and to prevent the stock from 
becoming weaker in the constitution, from 
contantly working and reworking upon 
the same variety, I have worked ‘Majetin’ 
on ‘Spy,’ and ‘Maggs Seedling’ (another 
blight- proof kind, and robust in consti- 
tution upon the ‘spy,’ with the best 
results. 
For dwarf-apple culture the ‘Spy’ can 
be used, and the "French Paradise’ worked 
upon the ‘Spy,’ and the desired kind 
again worked upon the ‘French Paradise.’ 
becomes tedious. We 
haye now in this State, raised from seed 
This, however, 
here, a ‘ Paradise’ apple tree of dwarfing 
habit—free surface rooting properties | 
very easily propagated, and upon which 
the desired kinds may be worked direct, 
All kinds appear to thrive admirably upon 
it, and it is quite blight-proof 
It may be mentioned that even now 
there are old localities where the old crab 
stock or seedling apple can be used with 
safety, viz., well drained, deep sandy s: ils; 
but such stocks are now so scarce that it 
would be difficult to obtain any from 
nurserymen. The blight-proof stock is 
now almost exclusively used. 
Planters must take great care that their 
trees are worked sufficiently above the 
surface of the ground to prevent the scion 
from striking roots into the ground, and 
displacing the blight-proof stock, thus 
rendering the whole tree roots a blighted 
mass. 
Apricot.—This is, perhaps the most 
difficult to deal with in regard to stocks: 
Great dissatisfaction has beeu experienced 
by growers in consequence of their trees 
breaking off at the point of union with 
the stock while in perfect health ; and in 
other cases by the trees having a stunted 
This is 
generally due to unsuitable stocks, 
The plum stock now generally used is a 
variety of the ‘Myrobolan’ called ‘+ La 
growth and ‘sickly appearance. 
France,’ which is easily propagated from 
cuttings and dves not sucker, but such 
varieties as the ‘ Montgamet’ and * Large 
Barly’ type, when worked upon the above 
stocks are very apt to blow off at the 
union of the tree with the stock when. 
fully grown. I much prefer the common 
‘Mussel’ plum as a stock, as it succeeds 
wellin most soils and climates, and the 
most popular market sorts do well upon 
it. The advantage of the plum stock over 
the seedling apricot is that it will adapt 
itself to almost any soil, whereas the 
seedling apricot is only suitable where 
the soil is light and warm, or well drained 
the climate warm, and the rainfall not 
excessive. The seedling apricot is much 
sought after by planters in the warmer 
and drier districts of the State, and in 
many cases it does well. It stands much 
drought, and will grow when many other 
trees are at standstill. It is, however, apt 
to grow too vigorously at the expense of 
the size and quantity of fruit, whereas the 
plum stock, which has a more dwarfing 
As 
in most fruits, the theory that if fine fruit 
is wanted the stock must not be too 
vigorous holds good with this as with 
tendency, grows finer fruit as a rule. 
most fruits, It is much better for a scion 
$0 somewhat overgrow the stock than the 
Stock to grow faster than the scion, or upper 
part of the tree. Inthe one case, well- 
developed fruit and heavy crops are the 
result, while, in the other, thin crops and 
poor fruit are therule. The nourishment 
which should go to the fruit expends itself 
in wocd and leaf—the cherry is a striking 
example of this. Some growers work the 
apricot upon the almond, a most unsuit- 
able stock. Never plant trees upon this 
stock, The peach is a most desirable 
stock in localities where the plum does 
not do so well as the peach. 
Peach.—Vhe peach stock raised from 
the stone is, doubtless, under almost all 
circumstances, the best stock for the 
peach, Some difficulty is often ex- 
perienced in getting the stones to 
germinate; some seasons they come up 
The 
stones from one season’s crop of fruit will 
freely and in other very few grow. 
grow freely, while those from another 
season’s crop will nearly all fail. Stones 
saved from medium sized mid-season’s 
are generally the best for 
planting. The stones, immediately they 
are collected, should be placed in the 
varieties 
ground in a well sheltered position, and 
