58 



IRISH GARDENING. 



In My Half-acre Garden. 



By Edward Lovett. 



This is a most interesting pamphlet, describing 

 liow tlie autlior has for twenty-eight years culti- 

 vated his garden and produced abundance of 

 fruit and vegetables. His method of manuring is 

 ingenious, and costs practically nothing. 



It is not stated whether the paniphlet is for 

 sale, but anyone interested might write to the 

 author, at Outram Road, Croydon, who will 

 doubtless afford all information. 



Grafting Fruit Trees- 



By Peter Brock, Fairview, Rnniskillen. 



Grafting is an operation which consists in uniting 

 a portion of a plant to anotherwhich will support 

 it and furnish it with nutriment necessary for its 

 groAvth. Where large quantities of nursery stock 

 are produced, budding is the system generally 

 adopted for rapid propagation, but where buds 

 fail the stocks on which the failures occur may 

 be grafted in spring. Apples and pears, which, 

 for local reasons, do not succeed, may be re- 

 grafted with varieties that are known to suit the 

 soil and situation. If taken in time — i.e., before 

 the constitution of the tree has become a complete 

 wreck — regrafting with a variety that makes 

 healthy growth and crops freely has generally a 

 legenerating effect on the weakling. For 

 example Cox's Orange and Early Mctoria may 

 he grafted with Bramley or Grenadier ; both 

 sorts thrive and crop freely in most places. 



The best time to graft is when the sap begins 

 to rise. Pearls and plums come first. The latter 

 are lietter budded, and are usually in the best 

 condition in ^larch. April is generally the month 

 in which we find apples in the best condition, 

 according as the season may be late or early. 

 Make sure, however, not to operate till the sap 

 begins to rise, which is easily ascertained by the 

 swelling of the buds and the bark rising easily 

 from the wood. Cut-back trees having been 

 sometim.e previously cut down to within a few 

 inches of the point intended to graft at, should 

 be again cut at the desired point and the ends 

 made smooth with a sharp knife. 



There are various methods of grafting, some 

 requiring more skill than others, but the simplest, 

 and at the same time the most successful, are 

 " splice," " whip and tongue," and " crown." 

 The former are generally adopted for small stocks, 

 and for large stocks, such as cut-back trees, the 

 " crown " is the most successful, and is an ex- 

 peditious way of converting undesirable sorts of 

 apples andpears into asoui-ce of profit. In every 

 kind of grafting it is essential that the two parts 

 should be in close communication not by means 

 of the epidermis or pith, but through the" generat- 

 ing layersof inner bark, in the tissue of which 

 the cambium forms. A perfect union is not 

 effected except on this condition. The speedy 

 cohesion of the parts depends on the skill of the 

 operator in avoiding unnecessary wounds and 

 n^aking clean, straight cuts, and preserving them 

 from the action of the atmosphere ; in careful 

 tying, and excluding the air from the parts to 



be united. Always use a clean sharp knife, and 

 on no account touch prepared cuts with the 

 fingers 



The Scion. — This is the portion which is 

 grafted. Well ripened shoots of last year's 

 growth, taken from healthy trees, are the most 

 suitable. Very strong, or soft shoots, or un- 

 ripened tops, should be avoided. Shoots required 

 for scions should be renroved from the trees 

 during the dormant season, carefully labelled, 

 and placed aboiit half their length in damp soil 

 in a cool, shady place till required. It is impor- 

 tant that the scion should be in a dormant but 

 plump condition at the time the sap begins to 

 rise in the stock : scions showing signs of shrivel- 

 ling should be rejected. 



Splice Grafting. — This method is suitable 

 where the stock and scion are of equal diameter. 

 The sto£-k and scion are cut with a long sloping 

 or splice cut, perfectly smooth and even. The 

 two parts are then fitted together as exactly as 

 possible and bound with raffia or tape. The 

 operation is completed by the application of 

 grafting wax. 



Whip and Tongue Grafting.- — This is the 

 niost popular method for stocks up to a half inch 

 diameter. The scion is cut with a long sloping 

 or splice cut, in this a notch is cut to rest on the 

 end of the stock, and a tongue is then cut about 

 two-thirds of its length. The stock is cut in the 

 same way so as to have a tongue corresponding 

 to that of the scion, which should fit into it 

 accurately. The tongue of the scion is then 

 inserted behind the tongue of the stock and the 

 parts pressed into each other. Should the scion 

 have a smaller diameter than the stock, it should 

 be placed to one side of the cut, so that the bark 

 of both stock and scion may meet on one side 

 at least. In tying begin at the top and continue 

 the bandage jjast the point of the scion. 



Crown Grafting. — This is the most popular 

 method for large stocks or cut-back trees that 

 require several grafts to cover the end of large 

 limbs. Prepare the scion by first making a long- 

 sloping cut, then make a notch or shoulder to 

 rest on the end of the stock as shown in illustration. 

 This notch or shoulder is indispensable, as without 

 it — although the scion would unite- — it would not 

 grow over and cover the end of the stock. In 

 using slender scions, slit the bark through, 

 making a jjerpendicular cut apijroxiniate to the 

 depth the scion is to be inserted, then with a 

 neatly trimmed wedge, not larger than the scion, 

 open the bark near to the depth the scion will 

 reach, and push it down till the shoulder of the 

 scion rests on the end of the stock. With strong 

 scions and pliable bark on the stock make a 

 chisel-edge on the back of the scion, loosen the 

 upper of the bark with the knife and push the 

 scion down to the shou'der, which should be 

 2 to 2 1 inches from the point of the scion. If 

 grafting wax is at hand, with it close the opening 

 in the bark and round the scion on the end of the 

 stock. For tying grafts on large limbs the brown 

 cocoa fibre cord is suitable, as it does not contract 

 or expand with changes of the weather, yields to 

 the swelling of the scions, and may be left on till 

 autumn. After the grafts start growing freely 

 thy should be secured against breakage by wind 

 with stakes tied to the stock. Most of the spray 

 growth which pushes from the stock may be 



