[Letters to Editor]

Abstract

THE ill effect which often follows the grafting of the peach on seedling stocks described by Dr. Grabham in NATURE, July 17, is very common in peach nurseries on the Western Frontier of India, especially when the peach is budded on the almond. In the summer of 1919, a few weeks before our service in Baluchistan came to an end, we paid some attention to this matter, the results of which are published in the Indian Forester of December 1919. We found that the restricbed growth which often follows budding was due to imperfect sap circulation caused by an abnormal amount of callus tissue at the point of union between the stock and scion. Analyses of the peach leaves of affected trees in September 1919 showed that they contained less nitrogen, ash, phosphorus, lime, and potash, and much more starch, than normal leaves. Consequently root development was far below the average.