HOW TO BUD AND GRAFT. 47 



injury to that from which it was taken. By this method 

 stems, roots, and branches may be united, and fruit, or 

 even flowers, be grafted upon leaves; in short, "grafting 

 by approach " is grafting par excellence, and affords scope 

 for curious experiments, such as we have just indicated ; 

 experiments that any skillful and ingenious gardener may 

 vary and multiply indefinitely. 



In some cases, while the junction between scion and stock 

 is in progress by this method, the plants are placed in 

 moist hot-houses (not beds), or under bell-glasses, and if 

 an accumulation of too much moisture is carefully guarded 

 against this plan is a good one, as the union takes place 

 more surely and expeditiously. This is the favorite method 

 of grafting in cases where the plants in question, either 

 stock or scion, are too rare and valuable to risk their de- 

 struction by ordinary methods in the event of failure to 

 knit. 



And next we come to "whip" or " tongue " grafting, 

 usually practiced on small nursery trees. To perform this 

 operation in the most perfect manner, the top of the stock 

 and end of the scion should be of equal diameter, and 

 therefore this kind of grafting, unlike the others, may be 

 done on smaller stocks. Both scion and stock must be cut 

 obliquely as nearly at corresponding angles as it is possi- 

 ble to get them. The best way to secure accuracy in this 

 respect is, first to cut off the stock and then place the 

 extremity of the scion alongside and a little below the 

 oblique cut, to scratch the line of the latter on the scion, 

 and then make a clean, smooth cut along the slope indi- 

 cated. 



Next, the tip of the stock must be cut off horizontally, 

 and a narrow slit made nearly in the center of the sloped 

 face of the stock downward, and another corresponding 

 one in the slope of the scion upward. The tongue or 



