CHAP. Ill VILLA GARDENING 241 



know how to i^ropagate so commou a thing as an Apple tree. 

 From the planting of the pip or seed till the tree is fit to take its 

 place in the garden or orchard, as a frnit-bearing tree, is not so 

 long. The seeds will of coiu-se be saved when the fruits are 

 consumed, and if one has very choice fruits it may be interesting 

 to sow the seeds with the view of testing the fruit which the trees 

 from such seeds will produce. This is interesting work, and pro- 

 perly comes within the scope of the experimenting amateur. If the 

 seeds are planted in pots they will be exposed to fewer vicissitudes, 

 and when strong enough may be planted out. When as thick 

 as one's finger — which in the case of the majority, under good 

 cultm-e, will be in three, or perhaps in some cases in two years — 

 those it is intended to graft should be operated on in March. 

 The operation of grafting young healthy seedling stocks is a simple 

 one, and usually practised on what is called the whip -handle 

 system, a slice being cut off the side of the stock after the head 

 has been severed almost close to the ground, and a similar slice 

 being cut off the scion — the two cut surfaces being brought 

 close to and fitted together. If one is larger than the other, then 

 the bark on one side of the scion must be fitted to that on 

 the corresponding side of the stock, or no union can take place, 

 and then the two must be bound firmly together. Afterwards 

 some grafting clay must be ai^plied, and it will be an advantage 

 if some earth in the shape of a ridge is raised around the grafts, 

 as success depends upon the air being kept from the cut parts 

 until the bark unites and circulation sets in from one to the 

 other. Budding is even a simpler operation than grafting, and 

 should be performed in summer, usually in August; it is done 

 in the same way as in the case of Eoses — making an incision in 

 the bark in the side of the stem near the ground, slipping in a 

 bud, and winding a strand of matting round it a few times till it is 

 firmly fixed beneath the bark. When ispring comes round the 

 stock can be headed back to the bud, and the whole force of the 

 roots will then be set to work to supply that single bud. A very 

 vigorous shoot will be the result, which may either be trained 

 up to form a standard, or stopped when of sufficient height to 

 induce side shoots to start away and form espaliers, or whatever 

 form it is wished to adopt. Both in budding and grafting those 

 who do succeed owe some of tlieir success to careful supervision. 

 It will not do to bud or graft, and forget everything else. The 

 clay may crack and let air in, the sap which is busy healing 

 the wounded parts be dried up, and those parts perish for want 

 of necessary moistm-e. Again, after the young shoots have burst 

 forth, care is needed to prevent the wind blowing them off, or 



R 



