386 FLORA HISTORICA, 



while you tie it ; next cut the scion sloping, to 

 fit, and cut it so that a joint may be at the bottom 

 of it, to rest on the aforesaid ledge ; an union 

 may be effected without the ledge, provided the 

 graft can be well fixed to the tuber, but the work 

 will not then be so neat. It is of advantage, 

 though not absolutely necessary, that a joint 

 should be at the end of the scion, for the scion 

 will occasionally put forth new roots from the 

 lower joint; the stem is formed from the upper 

 joint ; I therefore procure the cuttings with the 

 two lower joints as near together as possible. 

 After the graft has been tied, a piece of fine clay, 

 such as IS used for common grafting, must be 

 placed round it ; then pot the root in fine mould, 

 in a pot of such a size as will bury the graft 

 half way in the mould ; place the pot on a little 

 heat in the front of a cucumber or melon frame, 

 if you chance to have one in work at the time ; 

 I prefer the front, for the greater convenience of 

 shading and watering which are required. A 

 striking glass may be put over the graft, or not, 

 as you please. In about three weeks the root 

 should be shifted into a larger pot, if it be too 

 soon to plant it in the border, which will pro- 

 bably be the case ; for supposing the work was 

 began in March, the plant cannot go out till the 

 end of May, so that the shifting will be very 



