PRIXCIPLES OF VEGETATION, ETC. 119 



of fruit better in quality than that native to the tree, may be renovated by 

 grafting the desired variety on its principal branches, and heading them down 

 by degrees, until none of the old tree remains above the graft. But the chief 

 use made of the principle of budding and grafting is to prepare young trees 

 for planting, by grafting the more delicate varieties on hardier stems of the 

 same species, where that course is necessary, and by grafting trees of too 

 vigorous gi'owth on stocks which wall check their vigour when it is desirable to 

 do so. Thus, most kinds of pears, when grown on a "free stock," as the native 

 pear produced from seed is called, have a great tendency to make wood : this 

 tendency science has checked by grafting the Pear on a Quince stock. In the 

 same manner, the Apple is grafted on the Wild Crab, and for dwarf trees on 

 the Paradise stock, and the Peach and Nectarine on that of the wild Plum and 

 Almond ; the result being, that when grafted on native stocks, the Apple and 

 Pear are of more vigorous growth and the trees of longer duration, while those 

 grafted on the Quince and Paradise stock come more rapidly into a fruiting 

 state. The first is also preferred for dry and less fertile, as the second for 

 more rich and fruitful soils ; there are also some varieties that in all cases do 

 best on the free stock. These processes are extremely interesting in them- 

 selves, and a general knowledge of their principles indispensable to an 

 acquaintance with the art of Gardening. 



259. Gai-dening ingenuity has invented many kinds of grafting : we shall 

 only describe a few of these processes, in order to explain their principle. 

 Select a suitable stock, whose height will be according to the purpose for 

 which it is intended, also a graft, which should be fi'om an early branch of the 

 previous year's wood which has ripened under an August sun, so that the wood 

 has been thoroughly constituted before the early frosts set in. It should also 

 be selected so that the graft is in the same state of vegetation with the 

 intended stock. Where the texture of the wood is less advanced in the graft 

 than in the stock, the latter intei'cepts the descent of the pulpy sap, and forms 

 the bulging on the stem which is observable on so many trees ; when the 

 case is reversed, the swelling occurs in the branch above the graft ; for the 

 principle of the union is, that the pulp from the scion descends to the point of 

 junction, where, being excluded by the ball of grafting-wax, which surrounds 

 it, from the light and air, it forms woody fibre in place of the roots which 

 it would have formed in the soil ; in the mean while, the sap from the stock 

 rises into the graft, where it is elaborated into pulp by the action of the leaves, 

 and returns again, but in a more consistent state. It is necessary, therefore, 

 where the graft selected is in a more advanced state of vegetation, to detach 

 it from the parent stem, and bury it in the ground, under a north wall, 

 until both are in a similar state : the graft will here remain stationary while 

 the stock is advancing. 



260. Grafting and Budding. — In gardening nomenclature, the term ''stock,'' 

 or "subject," is applied to the tree on which the operation is performed ; 

 that of "graft," and sometimes " scion," to the portion of the branch which is 

 implanted on it. The implements necessary for the operation are, — a hand- 



