234 PRACTICAL GAEDEXIXG. 



the flat parts come togetlier quite close. The manner in which 

 this is accomplished, is by bringing the two pots containing 

 the plants close together, and so fixing them that they may be 

 tied, and remain undisturbed until they unite. By this means 

 a much longer branch may be put on a stock than could be 

 put if separated from the parent stem, because when separated 

 the graft much depends on the very limited supply of nourish- 

 ment that could be derived from the stock, and, unless very 

 email, would perish for want of sustenance ; whereas, when on 

 the parent plant, although a portion of the branch is shaved 

 half way through, a sufficiency of nourishment to prevent its 

 even flagging, comes from the parent root, while the stock 

 supplies the rest that may be snfficient to cause the union. 

 When this union has taken place, the portion of stock above 

 the graft is cut off, and the portion of the plant from which 

 the graft is taken is separated below the graft, which graft, 

 being now on the stock, forms a new plant of the variety 

 wanted. This operation is mostly performed on camellias, 

 every branch of a plant wanted to be propagated being inarched 

 on a separate stock, so that half-a-dozen plants are made of 

 one, and the plant, in another year's growth, is the handsomer 

 for being cut back; but grafting with the grafts separated 

 from the plant makes the same quantity of wood do for many 

 more stocks, because a small piece of wood and a single bud 

 will be sufiicient for the graft. This is frequently done with 

 choice kinds, and the easiest way of doing this is to cut a 

 stock down pretty close to the bottom, to cleave it in the 

 middle, cutting out some inwardly on both sides, so as to form 

 a sht the shape of a V? then to cut the wood of the graft the 

 shape of a wedge to go into it, with the bud just above, and 

 this being neatly tied with bass or worsted, and covered with 

 grafting-wax or clay, as high as the bud, will make a good 

 shoot in one season. By inarching, therefore, we get a toler- 

 able plant in one season, but by cutting the branch so inarched 

 into as many pieces as there are buds, we should' get so many 

 more, but smaller plants. This appHes to all hard-wooded 

 shrubs, rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, correas, and many 

 other choice subjects, and the practice is regulated by the 

 value of the subjects to be increased. In grafting fruit-trees, 

 the stocks are prepared according to the kind of tree required ; 

 dwarfs for the wall, for espaliers, or for bushes, are cut close 

 to the ground, that is, within six inches or a foot of the root^ 



