CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - Pole Shift Survival Information

400 THE NURSERY-MANUAL
light soils. In the North plum stocks are better. Marianna is used
southwards, very likely too freely. Almond stocks, especially for
the French prune and for light soils, are considerably used in
California. The apricot is sometimes employed, but results appear
to be poor or indifferent., on the whole. Prunes, which are varieties
of plums, thrive on the above stocks also.
Various stocks dwarf the plum. The chief dwarf stock at present
is the myrobalan. This is imported. It is easily grown from seeds,
or sometimes from cuttings. Although the myrobalan, like the
mahaleh cherry, is a slow grower, the dwarfing of the top depends
more on subsequent pruning than on the root. The mirabelle (a
form of P. cera$‘~~a), a foreign stock, is sometimes used. The
many species 0 nat.ive plums, OF the Prwhus amf~ricaruz, P. iWunsonCm~~
and P. anguati~dia (Chickasaw) types, are good stocks for
dwarf or intermediate trees. In most cases, the: bud or graft grows
lusuriant.ly for two or three years, and thereafter rather slowly.
It is best to bud or graft low on these stocks. Unless the tops are
freely and persistently headed in, however, dwarf plum trees are
not secured. The only exception to this statement seems to be in
the use of the native dwarf cherry st,ocks (Pm~~.us ~~,~m.iZa and P.
H~ssqZ’), which have been used in an experiment.al way with much
promise.
The native or American plums are budded on native seedlings, or
rarely on Prunus domestica seedlings ; or they are grown from
cuttings, as in tbc case of Marianna.
The Japanese plums (Prwnus snli&rm, formerly called P. tr$ora)
are worked on peach, common plum, natives, or Marianna. Peach
and Marianna are mostly used, but seedlings of the Japanese kinds
should be preferable. Peach is probably preferable t,o Marianna.
Prwus Si~oGi works on peach, common plum, myrobalan and
lHarianna, chiefly on the first.
The ornamental plums are worked on the same stocks as the
fruit-bearing sorts. See Pr~rnu~.
Plums (like cherries) can be top-grafted the same as apples, but
the cions must be kept completely dormant. It is preferable to
graft very early in the spring.
Plumbago (Eeadwort). Plum baginacece.
Propagated by seeds, division and cuttings. The cuttings are
made from nearly mature wood, taken either in autumn from plants
growing in the open or in the spring from stock plants.