82 PROPAGATION BY DIVISION. [CHAP. IV. 



the graft depends. It is not, however, essen- 

 tial to the success of the operation, that all the 

 parts of the scion should fit exactly on the cor- 

 responding parts of the stock, or even that the 

 two trees should be of the same diameter, for 

 if the bark and the soft wood correspond in 

 any one point so as to unite, it is sufficient to 

 make the graft take. As soon as the scion and 

 the stock are properly fitted to each other, the 

 parts are neatly bound together with a strand 

 of bast mat, steeped in water to make it flexible; 

 and the bast is covered with a composition 

 called grafting-clay, which is put on to keep the 

 absorbent vessels of the wounded parts moist, 

 and capable of the alternate contractions and 

 dilatations which will be necessary during the 

 passage of the ascending and returning sap 

 between the stock and the graft. These direc- 

 tions apply alike to all kinds of grafting ; and 

 the difference between the sorts refers prin- 

 cipally to the manner in which the correspond- 

 ing parts are cut to fit each other. 



Whip, or Tongue, Grafting (Jig. 13.) is 

 where both the stock and the scion are cut in 

 a slanting direction, so as to fit each other, and 

 a little slit is made in the stock, into which a 

 tongue or projecting part cut in the scion fits. 

 The head of the stock is then cut off in an 

 oblique direction, slanting upwards from the 

 part cut to receive the scion, and the two are 

 bound closely together with a strand of bast 

 mat, or wrapped in moss, and then covered 

 with grafting-clay. The part left on the stock 

 in a slanting direction above the graft withers, 

 and is cut off when the graft has taken. This 



