48 FLORIDA FRUITS ORANGES. 



wedge-like strip, which now passes the upper part of the 

 sloped face of the scion, is next to be slipped downward in 

 the cleft of the stock, the inner bark of both being brought 

 closely together on one side, so as to prevent all chance of 

 slipping out of place in tying, and this tying must be done 

 at once tightly and neatly. 



The last-named operation in grafting as in budding is a 

 most important item in the work, and while strips of bast- 

 matting are most commonly used, we can not too highly 

 recommend the employment of strong muslin dipped in 

 equal parts of melted tallow and beeswax. Where these wax 

 strips are not used, however (and sometimes in large stocks 

 even where they are), grafting clay must be employed. 

 There are several ways of preparing it : one is to beat up 

 well together three parts of stiff yellow or blue clay, or 

 clayey loam, with one part of horse dung, and a little 

 chopped hay ; another, that chiefly used by the French and 

 Dutch, is to mix one half fresh cow dung with one half 

 loam. But whether waxed strips, bast-matting, or graft- 

 ing clay are used, every part of the wounds of stock and 

 scion must be well and thoroughly covered, as the whole 

 end and purpose of both clay and strips is to prevent air, 

 rain, and light from penetrating to the wounded parts. 



The French method of grafting differs from ours, which 

 is copied from the English, inasmuch as, no matter how 

 large the stock may be, they never cut off more than the 

 width of the scion ; and as their nation excels the English 

 as gardeners, it would, we think, be well to take the hint 

 thus thrown out. A true-born Johnny Bull scorns to ac- 

 cept a lesson from the despised and hated Johnny Crapaud, 

 but not so his old-time friend and ally, Uncle Sam ; so let 

 us, Uncle Sam's children, take heed and profit. 



And, in point of fact, it would seem useless as well as 

 hurtful to inflict a larger wound than necessary upon the 



