498 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



&c. At the end of the first season's growth, if it should prove a 

 strong-growing variety, the young shoot of the seedling will be strong 

 enough to graft or bud from. If this should be the case, some old tree 

 in good health, but not vigorous, ought to be selected to put it upon. 

 By placing a graft upon such a tree, in the course of two or three years 

 the variety might be thoroughly proved and tested as regards its quali- 

 ties of size, flavour, colour, and appearance. 



Budding appears to be more generally adopted by nurserymen for 

 propagating the Plum than grafting ; but whether it is considered by 

 them as a better method or not, we are not aware. It may be that 

 they adopt this plan to enable them to get another opportunity for 

 grafting in the succeeding spring, should the bud fail to take upon the 

 stock. Good trees can be got by adopting either method ; and if we 

 were asked the question, what method we would prefer, if we were to 

 be confined to one of the two 1 we certainly would say grafting, as 

 we consider it equally sure ; and, at the same time, we may be able to 

 get a young tree possessing two or three branches the first year by graft- 

 ing if stock and scion are both strong, whereas by budding one shoot 

 is invariably the result. Strong-growing varieties should be grafted 

 near the ground, say from 9 inches to 1 foot high ; and if wanted for 

 a standard, have the leader trained to a stake and led up to where it 

 may be desirable to form a head. Where the variety to be worked is 

 weak and slow of growth, if it is wanted to form a standard the 

 stock should be grown for the purpose, and be grafted at standard 

 height. When scions are taken off for grafting purposes, more know- 

 ledge and discrimination are necessary for the selecting of Plums 

 than perhaps any other variety of fruit. Much of the gum and 

 canker which w^e see amongst young Plum-trees is the result of want 

 of attention to two simple little facts — viz., the taking off the scion 

 while the parent tree is at rest, and also the heading-down of the 

 stock before the rise of the sap. If these two facts be neglected, it 

 wiU be found almost an impossibility to form a union ; and should a 

 union be formed, the almost inevitable result will be canker and gum. 

 This may be one reason why nurserymen prefer budding, as this 

 operation is done at a very different season, and consequently there 

 is less chance of these diseases attacking the young trees. December 

 is the month we should select for taking off scions of young Plums, 

 as this, of all the months of the year, is the one when all vegetation is 

 most thoroughly dormant. These should be taken off with care, espe- 

 cially to see that the young shoots possess plenty of wood-buds, and 

 no, or as few as possible, flower -buds. These, when taken off, 

 should be put in by the heels into the soil to await the grafting 

 season. The stocks should also be cut back to their desired height 



