8.2 OF GRAFTING. SECT. VII, 



Theckjis fhouldbe healthy andjlrong, (not however 

 of a foft, fappy, luxuriant growth,) and taken from 

 the cutjides of fruitful trees, where the juices of the 

 wood have been properly digefted by fun and air : they 

 fhould be taken (if it may be) from trees juft in their 

 prime, or at full bearing, and not before. Let them be 

 cut two or fenree weeks foonerthan wanted, and if kept 

 longer they may not hurt, for they had better be cut a 

 little too foon, than too late, at full length, without any 

 fide fhoots. 



Let the cions of pears, plums, and cherries be cut from 

 the middle to the end of January, and at fartheft not 

 beyond the middle of February; the feaf on muff, how- 

 ever, fomewhat govern. Keep them all over in dry 

 mould, clofe under a fouth wall, or fome flielter, 

 covering them with ftraw in wet or fevere weather, 

 Some preferve them in a cool room, where they will do 

 without mould, but it would be better to fet them up 

 an end in a garden-pot, half their length, with mould, 

 or land, nearly dry. 



Cions cut early are prevented from getting too for- 

 ward in bud; and if the buds begin to itart, and look 

 white, they feldom take. By having them as long as 

 they ?uav be kept before ufed, the fap of the Hock 

 gets in forwardnefs ; for it muff firft begin to ftir, and 

 fo be ready to pufh itfelf quickly into the cion, (now 

 fomewhat exhaufted,) to form a union with it. 



The middle of cions is fitteft for the purpofe; but do 

 not cut off' the tops till they are brought out to graff, 

 for they keep belt in length. If cions are to be tranj- 

 porUd to any diflance, let their ends be ffr.ck two or 

 three inches in clay, and fo matted round in a bundle ; 

 or, if wrapped round with a fine hay rope, and fm eared 

 over with cow dung, clay, or a ilrong earth, they will 

 not foon wither. 



Some gardeners fay, cions fhould be only of the J aft 

 year's growth, and others, that the wood of the year 

 before is belt; tut it is fo far a matter of indifference, 



that 



