44 



THE BOOK OF EVERGREENS. 



be perfectly dormant, and the stock in a slightly growing 

 condition. Having prepared the scion by smoothly cutting 

 the lower end into a wedge-shape, the incision is then made 

 in the side of the stock with a clean, smooth, downward 

 cut. In placing the scion in the incision, particular care 

 must be taken that the bark of each exactly corresponds. 

 The grafts should be tightly fastened by strips of bass bark, 

 or soft woollen strings, and the whole wound completely 

 covered with grafting wax or waxed paper. This kind of 

 grafting is shown in Figure 6, the tying material being 

 omitted in order to show the manner of making the cut. 



The plants must be placed in a cool, shady situation for 

 about two weeks, and then gently forced on a mild hot- 

 bed with the glass shaded ; always keeping up a moist at- 

 mosphere by frequent syringing. 

 The pots should be frequently ex- 

 amined to prevent excessive dry- 

 ness, or the opposite extreme, either 

 being exceedingly dangerous to the 

 success of the operation. "When the 

 grafts have started into growth, the 

 strings may be cut, and in a short 

 time the stock headed down. In 

 the engraving, Fig. 6, the branches 

 of the stock are represented as cut 

 off, merely to take up less room on 

 the page ; it is only when the graft 

 shows that it has formed a union 

 that the stock is cut back, and then 

 it is separated by a smooth cut close 

 to the point of insertion of the graft. 



The French practise grafting evergreens by using young, 

 succulent wood ; but in this country success is much more 

 certain with the foregoing plan. This herbaceous graft- 

 ing is performed by breaking off the young, brittle wood 

 of the stock a short distance below the terminal bud, and 



Fig. 7. GRAFTING WITH 

 NEW WOOD. 



