ON BUDDING AND GRAFTING THE RHODODENnRON, ETC. 161 



the self-coloured varieties, but with the more delicate and edged ones^ 

 another process, called covering, is essential. This is done by first 

 driving a stake by the flower intended to shade ; then taking a flat 

 piece of board, about a foot square, with a slit sawn half way across, 

 just wide enough for the italk of the flower to pass, and fastening it 

 by some contrivance to the stake just at the height where the flower 

 is ; then drawing the stake through the slit, and letting the bud be 

 just elevated so much above the board as to prevent the opening 

 leaves from touching it ; then covering it with a flower-pot, and allowing 

 it to remain till fully blown. The slit also should be well packed with 

 wool or cotton to hold the flower in its place, and keep out the in- 

 sects. The sun, acting upon the earthenware, will have the tendency 

 to bloom it faster in this way than otherwise, but if the flower is 

 wanted to be kept, a damp cloth should be thrown over it, and air 

 given underneath. 



There are various other methods of shading Dahlias, but as these 

 are the most general and effectual, I shall not attempt to enlarge on 

 them at present, feeling satisfied that the plan I have laid down will, 

 if adopted, at all times enable the " Young Beginner " to compete 

 successfully with his elders at the Floral Exhibition. 



ARTICLE VIII. 



REMARKS ON BUDDING AND GRAFTING THE RHODODENDRON, 



ROSE, &c. 



BY CLEKICl'S. 



Observing in a late number of the Cabinet some remarks on in- 

 creasing the Rhododendron and similar shrubs, as well as Roses, &c, 

 and now being the season for operation, has led me to forward the 

 following observations on the process of budding and grafting. 



The success of budding depends greatly on the state of the stock ; 

 if this is growing vigorously, and the bark flies up quite freely on the 

 introduction of the budding knife, the budding will hardly fail of 

 Buccess ; if the young shoots of the stock are nearly ripened to the 

 top, the bark is in the way of beginning to fasten to the wood ; or if 

 the shoots are small and weak, and the plant unhealthy, the bark most 

 likely has not risen at all ; in either case, the bark will not rise freely 

 from the incision with the handle of the knife, the sap is not circula- 



Vol. XII. No. 137. ° 



