306 



PYRUS MAI.t'S. 



M 



t' 



(^: 



nig" for scions loss than a half of an iiuli in dianiofor, and "saddle-grafting" 

 for those whicli arc larLHT. <JraftiML' upon old stocks and fnll-grown trees is nsu- 

 ally i>crf<irnicd by what is tornicd rhfl-^rdj'tinij^. 



in irhiit-i^niflinis, cut the stock (a) with a 

 sliarp knilc, in an ()I)h(|nc direction withont 

 startniiz >r hruisiuL' the hark, and the scion (/;) 

 in like manner ol a c()rresj)onding ani^le. And 

 then, with as little delay as possible, place the 

 inner barks of the stock ana scion in perfect 

 contact, at least on one side, and bind .tluMu 

 fast toijether with a riband of bass or guana, 

 as indicated at (c.) In this part of the process, 

 take jKutinildr pains and see that tlu; junction 



of the two barks is not in the least disph\ccd. r>^ ^ J f 



To protect the gral'tcd parts from drought, air, ^i-^ ' 



and moisture, a layer of green cow-dung and 

 fresh loam, well mixed in equal proportions, 



should be applied, with a trowel or spatula, fc Jj " ( 



one inch thick on every side, and a little above 

 and below the union of the stock and the scion. Ill 

 A mixture of three parts fine clay, and one 

 part fresh horse-droppings, well incorporated 

 together, may also be applied with success. A 

 bandage of moss or tow is sometimes wound 

 round the clay or mixture, to prevent it from 



cracking by the heat of the sun, and from washing away by rains. In making the 

 incision in the side of the stock which is to receive the scion, the knife ought, if 

 possible, to be entered at the base of a bud, and pass upwards. The reason of 

 this is, that the vital principle is more powerful there; and that the germs, both 

 of buds and roots, are, in most plants, confined to the joints of the stems; though 

 in some, as in several varieties of the elm, they appear to be distributed equally 

 over every part of the stem and roots. 



In performing saddle- grafting ^ cut, 

 with a sharp drawing-knife or other 

 instrument, the stock {il^ so as to leave 

 the top in the form of a wedge. Split 

 the lower end of the scion (e) and pare 

 each side of the cleft, so as to fit, when 

 seated, exactly on the top of the stock, 

 with the inner barks of both in perfect 

 contact. And then, with a bass riband, 

 bind the parts strongly together, as at 

 (/,) and perform the operation of clay- 

 ing as in the preceding method. In 

 three months or more after grafting, re- 

 move the clay, and partially loosen the 

 bass ribands which are bound round 

 the grafts, in order that the scions may 

 have more room to expand. In a few 

 weeks more, when the parts have been 

 partially inured to the air, and when 

 there is no danger of the scion being 

 blown off by the winds, the whole of 



