TEA. 21 



more than one-third of the diameter of the stem. The scion (PL VI. B) 

 must be shaped at the base so that it will lit neatly into the place pre- 

 pared for it on the stock. It should then be tied as seen in Plate VI, C, 

 and afterwards a small quantity of sphagnum moss should he tied over 

 the part where the stock and scion come together, as shown in Plate 

 VI. D. 



Immediately after the operation i> performed as above described, 

 the plants should be placed in a close, shaded propagating frame and 

 kept there until the union is effected; this will take place in a few 

 weeks. The temperature of the frame should be kept uniformly at 

 from t;n to 65 : F. If a layer of moss be put under the pots and the 

 contents of the frame syringed occasionally a favorably humid atmos- 

 phere will result. Where greenhouse accommodations are not available 

 for the propagating frame a hotbed may be built out of doors in a loca- 

 tion where the sun will not have much effect in raising the temperature. 

 From »'. to it inches of stable litter and leaves will provide ample heat 

 during the spring. When it is found that the scions have made con- 

 nection with the stocks, air should gradually be admitted to the frames. 

 Shortly after this the tops of the stocks may be cut off close to the 

 scions. Planting out may be deferred till the scions have made their 

 first growth. 



1 1 ERBACEOUS < i KAFTIN( ; . 



Another method which the writer has tried successfully is herbaceous 

 grafting. This consists in removing the top from a seedling when a 

 few weeks old, making a clean, straight cut through the stem above a 

 bract or a leaf, much in the same way that coffee seedlings art 1 treated 

 for grafting, but with this difference: In the case of the coffee the very 

 large cotyledons persist for many months after germination and, being 

 well above ground, they perform the functions of true leaves, so that 

 when the plumule is severed grafting is performed with ease and the 

 seedling receives only a very slight check. But with tea the cotyle- 

 dons are underground, and although they also persist for a consider- 

 able time the plumule can not be removed with the same degree of 

 safety as with coffee. Therefore it is best to remove the top above a 

 bract or leaf. A cut is then made through the stem, as for cleft graft- 

 ing, and the base of the scion is cut to a wedge shape, so as to lit nicely 

 into the stock. It is kept in place by wrapping with thin strands of 

 raffia. It will he found easiest to perform this operation when the 

 seedlings are in flats, as then they occupy less room than when in 

 small pots. It is necessary for all grafted plants to be kept in a close 

 and shaded frame while the scions are uniting with the stocks. 



PROPAGATING HOUSE. 



In preparing for cuttings, a cool propagating house is the first 

 requisite. It should he a lean-to structure and so built that the slope 



