40 NEW AMERICAN ORCHARDIST. 



smooth ; with a thin knife split down the stock through 

 the centre, to the depth of about two inches, and insert a 

 wedge to keep it open for the reception of the scion. The 

 scion is to be prepared in the form of a wedge, with an 

 eye, if possible, in the upper part of the portion thus formed ; 

 perfect success is the more certain when this is the case. 

 The scion is now to be carefully inserted, so that the inner 

 bark of the scion and of the stock may both exactly meet. 

 Large stocks require two scions, one on each side ; some- 

 times four are inserted. The whole is now to be care- 

 fully covered with the composition, or grafting clay, except 

 two or three eyes of each scion. This mode of grafting 

 is equally applicable to very small stocks; but these, being 

 weak, must be bound with a string of bass matting. 



SADDLE GRAFTING. This mode of grafting is performed 

 chiefly on very small stocks; it is much practised by 

 Mr. Knight. The upper part of the stock is prepared in 

 the form of a wedge, by two sloping cuts, one on each 

 side. The scion is prepared by splitting it upwards, and 

 paring out the middle part of each side to a point. When 

 the stock and scion are of equal size, the adjustment may 

 be made perfect; but if unequal, one side at least must 

 exactly meet. The whole is secured by a string of mat- 

 ting, and covered with the composition, or clay. The 

 string, however, is to be removed when a perfect union has 

 taken place. 



ROOT GRAFTING. This operation is often performed 

 on grape vines, just below the level of the surface, by the 

 usual mode of cleft grafting. It is also performed on por- 

 tions or pieces of root, where suitable stocks are scarce. 



SIDE GRAFTING. This mode is sometimes practised on 

 those parts of a tree where a limb is wanting. There are 

 two ways in which it is performed. 1st. The scion is pre- 

 pared in the same manner as for splice grafting, and the 

 bark and wood on the side of the stock is cut sloping ; and, 

 the scion being adjusted as carefully as possible, it is 

 bound on and covered with clay. 2d. The scion being 

 cut sloping, as in whip grafting, a cross cut is made in 

 the side of the tree, on the top of a perpendicular slit ; 

 the bark of the tree above the cross cut is pared down 

 slanting to the wood. The bark is now raised as in 

 inoculating, and the scion inserted, and bound fast, and 

 covered with clay. 



