In the colder parts of New York and of the United States, undoubtedly
seedlings of Russian cherries would make hardy and in most other
respects very desirable stocks. These Russian cherries, too, as a rule,
come nearly or quite true to seed, making very good orchard plants on
their own roots. Some of them, if not most of them, sprout rather
badly--not so serious a fault as one might think, especially in a
cultivated orchard. For budding over to other varieties only sour sorts
should be used, taking for trial such varieties as Bessarabian,
Brusseler Braune, Double Natte, George Glass, Lutovka, Early Morello,
Ostheim and Vladimir. Probably most of these would dwarf standard
varieties more or less but in no case is it to be supposed that they
would have the dwarfing effect of Mahaleb. In the North Mississippi
Valley some of these, especially of the Ostheim or Morello type, have
been very successfully used as stocks.
The small, wild, red cherry locally known as the Bird, Pin and as
the Pigeon Cherry, _Prunus pennsylvanica_, found from the Atlantic to
the eastern slopes of the Coast Range on the Pacific in northern United
States and southern Canada, is often used as a hardy stock. The writer
has seen it so used in northern Michigan but from his observation can
recommend it only for cold regions and as a makeshift since it dwarfs
standard varieties and usually suckers badly. W. T. Macoun, Ottawa,
Canada, Dominion Horticulturist, states that this stock is commonly
used in the colder parts of Canada and with good results. This cherry
is not as distantly related to orchard varieties as the Mahaleb and unites
with Sour Cherries at least as readily as does the Mahaleb.
In the West and Northwest the Sand Cherry, _Prunus pumila_, is used
very successfully in cold, dry regions as a stock for Sour Cherries. The
following is a very good account of its behavior from the pen of the late
Professor J. L. Budd, a pioneer cherry grower in the Middle West.[51]
"Those who have seen acres of the Sandy Cherry in the northwest
loaded with fruit have not been ready to believe it a good stock
for the cherry on account of its sprawling bushy habits of growth.
But those who have watched its growth when young under culture on
rich soil can comprehend the fact that it is as easy to work as
the Mahaleb. As with the Mahaleb the seedlings grown in seed bed
will be large enough to set in nursery row the next spring, and
of good size for August budding. To illustrate its rapidity and
uprightness of growth I will state that we rooted a few cuttings
in plant house last winter. When set in nursery they had made a
show of growth of from two to four inches, yet at budding time,
the middle of August, they were fully as large, stocky and upright
as the Mahalebs, and in all respects in as perfect condition for
budding.
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