120 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTCKE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ August 12, laOt. 



creator part of the leaf, cnt off a elice of bark and wood abont 11 inch 

 m length, with the bnd intended to bo naed in the middle ; carcfnUv 

 separate the bark from the wood, avoiding at the name time in any 

 waj- injnring the bark which contains the bad, and which, from its 

 form, is nsoally called the shield ; und insert the latter in the stock 

 as follows:— Make a vertical slit throagh the bark, abont Ij inch in 

 length, and a cross cut at the top ; then with the sharp end of the 

 handle of the bnddingknife raise the bark on each side, and carefully 

 insert the shield, cntting off that part of the top which does not rest 

 upon the albnrnnm. or uewlyeipoacd wood of the stock, by again pass- 

 ing the knife over the cross cnt at the top ; bind hrnily with soft bast 

 or cotton, and shade from bright snnahine. 



IsABcmNO, OR GRAFTtsG BY APPROACH, has already been allnded 

 to aa sometimes taking place accidentally. It is not always convenient 

 to adopt this system, but when it is practical to do so, it is justly 

 considered as the most certain method of grafting, as it is not neces- 

 sary to sever the scion from its parent, from which it continues to draw 

 its support, until it can be ascertained that a union has taken place 

 with the stock. Inarching is very easily performed, by merely paring 

 away a portion of the scion down to the alburnum or wood, and 

 making a corresponding wound upon the stock ; fit the cnt surfaces 

 accurately, and bind them tightly together. Grafting-wax may then 

 bo used, but this is not always necessary. By this means Camellias 

 are usually increased ; the single-tlowored variety, which is readily 

 grown from cuttings, being used as stocks. This is also found to be 

 an cipeditiouB method of proving newly-introduced varieties of the 

 Grape Vine, taking for stocks yonng growing shoots of an established 

 Vine. After carcfnllv paring away corresponding portions of wood 

 from the stock and the graft, both being in a green or unripened 

 condition, fit them exactly, and bind them tightly together, taking 

 care at the same time to" avoid crushing or bruising the immature 

 shoots ; as soon aa a union is formed let the ligature be slackened 

 or removed, and the stock cnt back to within an eye or two of the 

 junction, in order to direct as much as possible the flow of sap into 

 the scion. 



To the celebrated Mr. Thomas Andrew ICnight is due, I believe, the 

 credit of being the first to recommend and to practise the system of 

 KooT-onMTixo ; having, no doubt, observed that the roots of many 

 plants retain their vitality long after being separated from the other 

 parts of the plant, and evidently only reijuire the presence of buds to 

 enable them to developc perfectly org.-inised plants. Koot-grafting is now 

 extensively practised, and is found to bo an excellent and very expedi- 

 tions mode of increasing newly-introduced plants, such as Roses, 

 Clematises, Passion-Flowers. &c.. inasmuch as a very small portion of 

 the kinds to be increased can be readily grafted on a corresponding 

 portion of the roots of some of their more common or hardier con- 

 geners, and under favourable treatment they very quickly form healthy 

 plants. 



la addition to the various methods already referred to, must be 

 mentioned the system of double grafting, from which great advantages 

 have been derived. It is found that some of onr most delicious vane- 

 ties of Pears succeed bnt indiffercntiv when worked upon the ordinary 

 Pear stock, also when grafted upon the Quince ; but when the system 

 of double grafting is adopted, a vast improvement is effected in the 

 healthy development of the delicate varieties, and a corresponding 

 improvement in the qnalitv of their fruit. The method usually pur- 

 sued is to gi-aft the Quince' with some of the stronger-growing varie- 

 ties, such as Beurrc dAmanlis, &c., as a "go-between" or inter- 

 mediate stock, and on this to bud or graft the more delicate but 

 desired varieties. An eminent English pomologist has claimed to be 

 the inventor of this system of grafting, but it is unfortunate for the 

 establishment of this claim, and rather a realisation of the adage. 

 " that there is nothing new under the sun," to find that this system 

 has been recommended bv a French pomological writer of a somewhat 

 remote period, and even "practised in that country as early as the year 

 1700. 



1 am unable to sav whether or not double grafting has been succcss- 

 fuUv practised with the varieties of Cherries and Apples in cultivation, 

 bnt the stocks in general use for the former are the Wild Cheny and 

 the Mahalcb. The latter, on account of its surface-rooting properties, 

 boars a similar relation to the wild Cherry that the Paradise does to 

 the common Crab as stocl;s for the Apple. For the last-named, when 

 intended to be cultivated aa standard or orchard trees, the common 

 Crab is. doubtless, the most suitable stock: bnt for the more delicate 

 dessert varieties, more particularly when the trees are intended to bo 

 Srown as espaliers or cordons, the best-adapted stock is, doubtlessly, the 

 Paradise or Doucin, or Pommier de Paradis of the French. There 

 would appear, however, to be more than one variety of the Paradise 

 stock in use, and there would even appear to be some diversity of 

 opinion as to which is the true variety, "and when doctors disagree 

 who shall decide ?" 



So great, however, is the influence which the stock exercises upon 

 the scion, and the scion to some extent upon the stock, and so vast is 

 also the influence of soil and situation on both, that the subject of 

 stock and scion opens up so wide and extensive a field for research and 

 inquiry, that an excellent practical pomologist. writing lately upon 

 the subject, says that our threescore years and ten hardly afford 

 sufficient time to thoroughly explore and investigate it. 



That the stock to a very great extent influences the scion as regards 

 Yigour of constitution, and in fruit trees productiveness and quality 



of fruit, is not to be doubted ; and that the stock and the scion can- 

 not in any degree influence or alttr the specific character of each 

 other niav also, I think, bo taken for granted. But the problem yet 

 remains t"o be solved as to whether or not other conditions or peculi- 

 arities than have yet been alluded to, can or cannot be produced by 

 the influence of the one upon the other; and should it be found that 

 the scion and the stock are really capable of producing or developing 

 certain conditions or pecnliarities in each other, it vrill also be interest- 

 ing and neccBsarr to ascertain whether or not these peculiarities are 



of BO permanent a character as to bo retained by a part separated 

 from the individual pluut upon which they were first produced. U 

 this should bo found to be the case, then this production may, I think, 

 with propriety be regarded as a " graft hybrid "—that is, a distinct 

 varietv, the united prodnctiou of two other distinct varieties, partaking 

 more "or less of the nature iind character of each of these varieties, 

 nod proiinctd without sexual union. 



My attention was drawn to this circumstance some tune since by 

 reading some extracts from an essay " On the Circulation of the Sap, 

 bv Professor Bradley, of the University of Cambridge, and dated so 

 earlv as the year I'.'iT. This learned professor says, " We find by 

 inarching or inoculating a variegated common Jessamine, whose leavM 

 are edged with white, into either the plain common sort, or the Spanish 

 Jessamine, or the Indian or BrazU kinds, that the mabgnity which 

 causes the whiteness in the leave.; ol the first mixes itself in such a 

 manner with the juices of the plant it is engrafted upon, that their 

 leaves become infecUd or tinged in some places with white colour. 

 If we pnt only a bud of the variegated sort into a plain Jessamine 

 10 or 12 feet above the ground, the poison will reach the branches 

 next the root, as well as those which are at a great distance above it. 

 It is certain, from what the learned professor says, he believed tfie 

 condition of variegation, at least, could with ccrtamty be commumcated 

 from the stock to the scion, also from the scion to the stock ; and on 

 reading these extracts, the conclusion I came to was that experimenters 

 of that period must have been similar to their brethren of the present 

 day- viz., somewhat incUncd to jump rather hastily at conclnsions, 

 and I regarded this leap on the part of the learned professor as a 

 somewhat remarkable performance. At the same ome, it really does 

 appear that there arc authenticated cases to bo pointed out, where tne 

 entire stock appears to have been infused or inocnlaU-d with the condi- 

 tion of variegation by the simple insertion of a variegated scion or 

 bnd As cases in point, mention may be made of the Breadalbane 

 Ash. the Chelsea Jasmine. &c.. and also the case of a green-leaved 

 AbutUon which had been grafted with a variegated variety, and which 

 appears to have induced the stock to throw out vaneRated shoote. 

 This plant was shown before a meeting of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society only a few months since, and M. Lemoine, of hancy. has also 

 lately "puUi.shed au account of similar occurrences taking place after 

 CTofling Abutilon megapotomicnm and A. venosum with the same va- 

 riegated variety as was used in the former case— viz., A. Thompson!. 



Some time since a statement also appeared in some of the horticul- 

 tural periodicals to the effect that similar results to those narrated 

 above, had been obtained by grafting the variegated Pelargomnm 

 Mrs. Pollock upon one of the many plain or gy.e«°J.«a^<='?,,«'™' 

 and thinking that I might be excused for takiug liberties with thifl 

 family of plants, I some time since instituted various experiments 

 with "them, in order to test aa far as possible the influence of the 

 stock upon the scion, and ricr r(rs<i. Unfortunately, however, these 

 experiments up to the present time have been negaUvc as to resulto^ 

 or not yet suflicientlv advanced to warrant the forming of decided 

 opinions upon the subject. Allusion, however to them at the present 

 time may not be altogether uninteresting. -<"nay possibly mdue 

 other experimenters to direct theu- attention to the matter J he held 

 for investigation is sufiicieuUy extensive for any amount of inqu^ 

 which maf be brought to bear ui«n ' • »°^, "^ P'Tf .1;^ 

 amount will be the probabUity of dispelling the cloud of uncertainty 

 which at present rests upon the subject. ■ ,- ■„ ,i,„ 



In my endeavour to produce the condition of vanegation m ^e 

 stock I have grafted several varieties of the plain or green-leaved 

 Pelargoniums ^th sundry sorts of the Gold and Silver-vanegated 

 ^dsrand to try to produce variegation in the scion I ba™ ^ft«d 

 preenleaved sorts upon different varieties of the Gold and SaTer- 

 rarie^ated kinds. To try the possibility of transmitting or reprodncmg 

 Ihe quality of^.<•.«^ I have gifted the highly-perfumed sorts, such as 

 omLtos/m upon 'green-leaved Zonals and "l*" /V°" J*™?*^,^ 

 Zonals; likewise many of the plam and variegated '''°°»1 !»™f^^ 

 upon sundry sorts of the highly-scented Cape species Anxious, a^^ 

 to ascertain what might be the influence of the stock upon the scion 

 n a famTh of plants not usually treated in the manner I am about to 

 descrir, I intruded my iaquines into the famUy of Leguminos^^ I 

 have in Various ways experimented on sundry members of that esteemed 

 aniily ^-rafting gr"een Marrow Peas upon the early white vaneties^^d 

 ear ywhite sorts, such as Sutton's Kingleader. upon g^een Marrows 

 suchas Yorkshire Hero, &c. ; the white Mazapan Bean upon the Large 

 Green Windsor variety, ind the Green W indsor upon the Early Mazagsn; 

 Fu mors Eariy Dwarf Kidney Bean upon '^e common Scarle^ Runner 

 and the Scariet Runner npou several varieties of the Dwart t^dney 

 Bean and all of the.e grafted legumes are at the present tinie^«™g 

 freely vrith possibly a perceptible diminution of vigour on the part of 

 Le Scariet Runner^ wlLh Lo evincea a dispoaition to euu r^oU -- 

 mediately above the point of onion with the stock. The seeds whicn 



