Chap. 24.] VAEIOTJS KINDS OF GEAFTING 479 



middle of the tree, and the grafts are accordingly taken from 

 thence : the upper part being comparatively dry. The graft 

 takes most easily in a tree, the bark of which is of a similar 1;J 

 nature to its own, and which, blossoming at the same time as 

 itself, has an affinity with it in the development of the natural 

 juices. On the other hand, the process of uniting is but slow 

 where the dry is brought in contact with the moist, and the 

 hard bark with the soft. 



The other points to be observed are the following : the inci- 

 sion must not be made in a knot, as such an inhospitable rigidity 

 will certainly repel the stranger plant ; the incision should be 

 made, too, in the part which is most compact, and it must not 

 be much more than three fingers in length, not in a slanting 

 direction, nor yet such as to pierce the tree from side to side. 

 Virgil 14 is of opinion, that the grafts should not be taken from the 

 top, and it is universally agreed that it is best to select them from 

 the shoulders of the tree which look towards the north-east ; 15 

 from a tree, too, that is a good bearer, and from a young shoot, 16 

 unless, indeed, the graft is intended for an old tree, in which 

 case it should be of a more robust growth. In addition to this, 

 the graft ought to be in a state of impregnation, that is to say, 

 swelling 17 with buds, and giving every promise of bearing, the 

 same year ; it ought, too, to be two years old, and not thinner 

 than the little finger. The graft is inserted at the smaller 

 end, when it is the object of the grower that it should not 

 grow to any considerable length, but spread out on either side. 

 But it is more particularly necessary that the buds upon the 

 graft should be smooth and regular, and there must be nothing 

 upon it at all scabbed or shrivelled. Success may be fully 

 reckoned on if the pith of the graft is brought in contact with 

 the wood and bark of the stock ; that being a much better plan 

 than merely uniting them bark to bark. In pointing the graft, 



13 This remark is founded on sound notions of vegetable physiology ; 

 hut at the same time it is contradictory to what he states in the sequel as 

 to grafting the pear on the plane, the apple on the cornel, &c. 



14 Georg. ii. 78. 



15 An unnecessary precaution. It is not the situation of the branches 

 so much as the nature of the soil, traversed by the roots, corresponding to 

 them, that would be likely to have an influence on the graft. There is 

 little doubt that Pliny borrowed the present passage from Columella, De 

 Re Rust. v. 11 ; and De Arbor. 20. 



16 This is sound advice. 17 See B. xvi. c. 39, 40, and 41. 



