Management of Orchards. 25 



with the same khid of fruit-tree. It will be better to select a new 

 field, and fresh, unexhausted soil. 



For the grafting, it will be well to employ a practised 

 and careful hand ; many such may be readily found. The 

 general price is \d. per graft, and food. For general orchard 

 purposes I recommend cleft-grafting, after the trees are planted 

 out. Nurserymen generally get a better price for a grafted 

 than for an ungrafted stock, and they prefer saddle and other 

 kinds of grafting, which is done while the tree is young. If you 

 have the grafting done after the planting-out, you can choose 

 your own sorts ; and the trees always make better heads ; they 

 come better together, and match better in the orchard. The 

 grafting should be done either the first or the third 3ear after 

 planting, and not in the second year. The reason for this is, 

 that in the first year you cut the top back to favour the growth 

 of the roots ; and although in the second year there would be 

 energy enough left to support the grafts, still they are not found 

 to do so well (perhaps in consequence of the young roots taking 

 too much of the nourishment) as if you wait till the third year, 

 when the tree is well established. 



In the third year the top should be sawn off in the month of 

 February to keep the sap back ; and at the time of grafting, in 

 March or April, should be cut off another inch or so below the 

 first cut ; then, with the saw, make a slanting cut into the stock, 

 and with a sharp knife cut a wedge-shaped opening into it ; then 

 take the graft, reduced to about 9 inches in length, and cut the 

 lower end so that it just fits the cleft in the stock, and so adjust 

 it that the graft and stock fit perfectly all the way up, keeping 

 the tissues or inner rind of the graft exactly opposite those in the 

 stock ; it should then be gently tapped on the top with a small 

 mallet to drive it firmly in its place ; and then covered with 

 a composition of chopped hay and clay, well tempered together, 

 forming a ball, in the shape of an e^^, round the junction of the 

 graft and stock. This will remain for a twelvemonth ; but if it 

 does not fall off in eighteen months, it should be removed. 



It is an excellent plan to have some wicker-baskets made for 

 enclosing the graft, which, being bound to the stock below the 

 graft, protect it from blows or gales : they can be had at a cost 

 of about Qd. each. In choosing the grafts it is very important not 

 to cut them from cankered, diseased, or even old trees ; the l)est 

 are taken from good bearers, about one-third grown. These 

 may be cut as early as February, and may be kept in a damp 

 cellar, or any moist place, or they may be pushed into the soil 

 3 or 4 inches deep in any piece of garden-ground. The grafts 

 should be cut before the sap commences its spring movement. 



It will very much improve the orchard if, as far as the choice 



