PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING. 



213 



grafting is one of the most expeditious and certain of any 

 in general use, not only where small seedling stocks and 

 roots are employed, but also for top- grafting young trees 

 in the nursery. It may also be used upon quite large 

 stocks, provided they have been previously headed back 

 and have thrown oat thrifty, branches upon 

 which the cions can be conveniently spliced. 

 In splice" grafting, in the open air, waxed 

 cloth should be used for ligatures, to prevent 

 the breaking away of the cion before it has 

 become firmly united ; but when the grafting 

 is done inside, or upon pieces of roots which 

 will be planted out in spring, strong waxed 

 paper may be used, or even bass, and no wax. 

 Sometimes a ligature of bass is used, and 

 then melted wax is applied with a brush, to 

 cover the wounds on the joint between cion 

 and stock. In some forms of root grafting 

 it is desirable to place the cion so low down 

 that it will eventually take root and become 

 capable of supplying itself with sustenance 

 through its own roots, instead of through 

 those of the original stock. Under such 

 conditions only very short pieces of roots are 

 employed, as they are intended .only to serve ^^FTING. 

 a temporary purpose, usually dying when the cion has 

 produced roots for self-support. 



All thcTother modes, such as the splice, cleft, crown, 

 side and saddle grafts, maybe used on roots as well as. on 

 the stems and branches of woody plants, and, as a rule, 

 the larger and stronger the stock, the more vigorous will 

 be the growth of the cion. But while rapid and vigorous 

 growth is usually desirable, it should be kept in mind 

 that no cion can utilize more'nntriment sent forward .by, 

 the stock than its leaves can assimilate ; consequently, jf 

 the roots of a stock upon which a cion is set gather more 



