185'?.] upon Views Entertained. 157 



as it is sometimes called, is best when tlie stocks are small. Cleft, 

 •when they are sufficiently large to bind a graft. Crown grafting, 

 saddle grafting, side grafting, grafting by approach and inarching, 

 all have their peculiar advantages under given circumstances. If 

 you would succeed in grafting stone fruit, it is necessary on account 

 of the peculiar structure of the bud, to observe a little more narrow- 

 ly certain points. First, you must graft when vegetation is entirely 

 dormant, if you would succeed. It will be observed that the buds of 

 the peach, plum, cherry, apricot, etc., are more prominent than those 

 of seed fruit, the germ has a delicate neck standing out from the 

 footstalk, which when once started, can not suffer the least interrup- 

 tion, and if then taken, withers; or if the flow of sap is free in the 

 stalk, is easily surfeited. Not so with the bud from the apple or 

 pear, it lies close to the sheath of bark which will supply with food 

 for days of itself, or until nature has time to recuperate and furnish 

 it food from a natural flow. We have grafted cherries in mid winter, 

 when our hands were nearly frozen with cold, with the best success. 

 You need not fear if it is properly done that the frost will injure ; 

 it is not the case. You may thus graft your old cherry trees as well as 

 your old pear and apple trees. Never destroy old healthy trees, they 

 will furnish you a rich reward by grafting them, many years before 

 your young trees will come forward. An old apple tree, a thrifty 

 seedling, well established, is worth twenty-five dollars at least, and 

 will pay the entire interest, and pay for grafting after the second 

 year. One of the great advantages of grafting, is. that of being 

 able to appropriate the entire vigor of an old established plant, 

 and if properly done, really to rejuvenate it for your immediate 

 use. If this is effected on an old apple or cherry tree, you should 

 go well out upon the branch to a point of suitable size, say from 

 three quarters to an inch in diameter, and cut away the entire top 

 the same year. I know there is a different theory, but it is errone- 

 ous. Keep off all shoots until the grafts are well started, and 

 then you may leave them until the next spring, when you should be 

 doubly careful to prune them off and keep them off, cutting back 

 well your grafts. If you will adopt this course, you will have a 

 beautiful and symmetrical top by the end of the second year, and 

 perhaps some fruit. Budding is another operation belonging to this 

 connection; but as before stated, it is familiar to most, and is best 

 understood by instruction given by examples. It, as grafting, is an 

 easy and simple art that may be learned in ten minutes; to be expert, 

 requires considerable practice. Ed. 



