86 ON THE BEST MODES OF STARTING 



planted into a forest or pleasure ground, as the case may be; they 

 will then he from 6 to 9 inches high, and if larger plants are wanted 

 they may either be left in the lines or transplanted to others. 



2. Coniferce from Grafts. 



Trees not too full of resin can be propagated by cuttings and grafts, 

 and often make good plants. The process of grafting is well known 

 to every nurseryman, and need not be here explained. But it may 

 be remarked that the graft commonly known as "tongue upon tongue" 

 is superior to the other modes, suchas "side" grafting, "cleft" grafting, 

 and "croum" grafting. The great art consists in fitting exactly the inner 

 bark of the scion to the inner bark of the stock, and keeping them 

 in close contact till union takes place; and the " tongue " or " whip " 

 grafting, as it is sometimes called, answers this purpose best in case 

 of Coniferce, for among other reasons it admits of being performed 

 3ven on the smallest twigs. The grafts will not succeed unless the 

 icion and stock be of the same species, or, at least, of the same 

 genus. The scions are generally young twigs of last summer's 

 growth or young branches, and are grafted on to the stocks in the, 

 case of Coniferae, immediately after they are cut from the parent 

 stem. This should be done when the sap begins to ascend freely 

 through the inner bark of that which is to form the stock. The 

 proper season is easily known from a tree putting forth its buds. 



Of the Coniferae from grafts or cuttings all the Picea and Pinus 

 are best from grafts when seeds cannot be got. The Piceas will 

 "•raft and grow well on the silver fir (Picea pectin at a). The Pinus 

 "•enus takes on different varieties of stocks. For example, those that 

 bear a resemblance to the Scotch fir (Pinus sylvestris) grow very 

 well on that species as a stock. Varieties such as Pinus mouticola, 

 P. Lambertiana, &c, make the finest trees on P. excelsa or P. 

 Strobus (Weymouth pine). All the varieties of Abies are grafted 

 on the common spruce, and all the Bitas and Thuja orientalis 

 varieties on the Chinese Arborvitse, and Cephalotaxus on the 

 common yew. The Cupressus Lawsoniana, which is easily reared 

 from seed, can be used as a stock for all its varieties and those of 

 allied species. 



3. Propagation by Cuttings, 



These should be taken from the side shoots of plants when the 

 sap is in full motion, as in the case of grafts. They should consist 

 of last year's growth with a small part of the previous year's wood. 



