G R A 



G R A 



is put on the stock rovmd the graft, in the same 

 manner as the clay is usually applied ; and, 

 though it be not above a quarter of an inch 

 thick, it keeps out the air more eflectually than 

 the clav ; and, as cold hardens it, there is no 

 danger'of its being hurt by frost, \yhich is very 

 apt to cause the clay to crack, and fall off; and, 

 w hen the heat of the summer conies on, it melts 

 and falls off without any trouble. In the using 

 it, a tin or copper pot is necessary, with a con- 

 venience under it to keep a very gentle fire with 

 small coal ; otherwise the cold soon condenses 

 the mixture. It is necessary not to apply it too 

 hot, lest the graft be injured. A person a httle 

 accustomed to this composition applies it very 

 fast ; and it is much easier for him to w ork with 

 than clay^ especially when the season proves 

 cold 



In the business of grafting, it is found that 

 in long continued dry seasons the grafts are 

 liable to fail in taking, which is sometimes pro- 

 bably owing to the improper choice of the 

 grafts, as well as to the dry weather. Great care 

 should of course always be taken not to graft 

 witli weak shoots, particularly those taken from 

 near the top, but such as are taken from the 

 lower end of the shoots, and in which the 

 wood is plump and fresh; as such as are shri- 

 velled seldom or never take well. Where any 

 have missed in the spring, Mr. Forsyth advises 

 to cut off, about the middle or latter end of June, 

 some fine healthy gralts of the sorts that are 

 wished to graft with, and to open the bark in 

 the same manner as for budding, inserting the 

 graft with a piece of the former year's wood on 

 It ; and after this has been done, to rub in with 

 a brush some of the composition in a liquid 

 state ; then to wrap bass round it, as is done for 

 spring giafting, leaving about three eyes on the 

 shoot, which should be tied on with the bass as 

 tight as possible ; then covering the outside of 

 tli^e bass, thus tied up with the composition to the 

 thickness of about one-eighth of an inch, as 

 well as the end of the $hoot, to exclude the air 

 and wet. In about three weeks or a month the 

 grafts should be looked over to see if they have 

 taken. When the graft begins to swell, it w ill 

 throw off the composition ; in which case al- 

 ways rcmendjcr to apply more, to prevent the 

 air from penetrating the incision or wound. 



In the month of September, it should be ex- 

 amined whether the wounds arc all healed up, 

 and the two barks perfectly united ; wfiich, if 

 they are, slacken the bass ; and when they are 

 perfectly healed up, it may be whollv taken off; 

 but if not, the bass nmst be again tied on, and 

 covered with a composition as before, letting it 

 remain till the following spring. It may then 



be taken off; and, if it be found that the two 

 barks have separated during the winter, with 

 the point of a sharp knife all the brown part of 

 the bark (which if left would infallibly brimr 

 on the canker) should be cut out, and the com- 

 position rubbed into the wound. When the 

 grafts have produeeil strong leading shoots, the 

 tops of them should be pinched off with the 

 finger and thumb ; but if they have not shot 

 strong, they should not be cut till the spring, 

 when they may be cut down to three or four 

 eyes, according to their nirength, to make them 

 produce horizontal shoots, and form handsome 

 heads. This sort of grafting should always be 

 performed in moist or cloudy w either, if pos- 

 sible. 



Mr. Forsyth says that rubbing a little of this 

 composition into the incision will effectually 

 prevent the canker, and in applving it round the 

 graft a much less quantity is sufficient than of 

 the clay ; as it need not be more than three 

 inches round in grafting small stems or shoots, 

 and in proportion for those which are larger. It 

 keeps the scion moist. When used in grafting, 

 it should be of such a consistence as- to work 

 easily with the hand, or a knife, or small trowel, 

 rather softer than grafting-elav generally is. 

 This method, on a fair trial, will, he thinks, be 

 found " a sure, neat, and expeditious way of 

 grafting." 



In giafting or budding, it should be perforin- 

 ed as near to the upjier side of a bud as possible, 

 and " the most proper place for insertino; the 

 scion or bud is at the joint a little above the "cross 

 shoot." 



In respect to the sorts of trees that will suc- 

 ceed upon one another, it may be observed, that 

 all such as are ot the same genus, that is, which 

 agree in their flower and fruit, take upon each 

 other ; hence all the nut-bearing trees may lie 

 safely grafted on each other, as well as all the 

 plum -bearing trees, as the several sorts of 

 plums, almond, peach, nectarine, apricot, &c. 

 but as many of them are subject to emit gum 

 from the parts wounded, as the peach and 

 nectarine kinds, it is foand the surest method 

 to bud or inoculate them. 



All such trees as bear cones also do well upon 

 each other, though they niay difler in one being 

 evergreen, and the other shedding its leaves in 

 winter; as in the cedar of Libanus and the 

 larch-tree, which are found to succeed upon each 

 other; but they must be' grafted bv approach, 

 as they abound with a great quantity of resin, 

 which is apt to evaporate from the graft when 

 separated from' the tree before it is joined with 

 the stock; whereby they are often destroyed. 

 The laurel likewise on the cherry, or the cherry 



