INGRAFTING. 19 



The cions should be of the growth of the preceding 

 year, cut from healthy bearing trees ; they should be 

 kept from water, which, by saturating the sap ves- 

 sels, would prevent their imbibing the sap of the 

 stocks into which they may be inserted. The usual 

 cover for protecting the cions, is clay well tempered, 

 and mixed with horse dung; an excellent substitute, 

 which may be kept ready for use when a little soften- 

 ed by heat, is a mixture of equal parts of tallow, 

 bees-wax and rosin, spread on strips of linen or pa- 

 per six inches long and about two inches wide ; one 

 of these strips must be wrapped round each stock, so 

 as completely to cover the fissure at the sides and in 

 the end ; this operation is neater than the mode usually 

 adopted in this country, it is more convenient to the 

 amateur of fine fruit, requiring but a few minutes pre- 

 paration by warming the vessel, in which it should al- 

 ways be preserved in readiness for use ; it is much 

 less disagreeable than clay, in the cold weather which 

 sometimes prevails in the season of ingrafting ; and if 

 properly performed, is attended with equal success. 

 As the graft enlarges, the bandage will gradually 

 distend, till it decays and falls off; in the mean time, 

 serving to protect the more delicate kinds of fruit 

 against the decomposition or cracking of the clay, by 

 the severity of the frost, or the heat of the sun. 



