FRUITFULNESS. 41 



GRAFTING BY APPROACH. This is often practised on 

 trees and shrubs which succeed with difficulty by other 

 modes. The tree to be grafted must be growing very near 

 the tree which is to furnish the grafts. The limb or 

 limbs of each tree which is to be thus united, must be 

 pared with a long, sloping cut of several inches, nearly to 

 its centre ; and the parts of each tree, thus prepared, are to 

 be brought together, and firmly secured by a bandage of 

 matting, so that the bark shall exactly meet on at least one 

 side, and covered with clay or composition. When a com- 

 plete union has taken place, the trees are separated with a 

 knife, by cutting off the scion below the junction, and 

 cutting off the stock above. 



Grafting Clay is made of one third part of fresh horse 

 manure, free from litter, one third of cow manure, and one 

 third of good clay, with a small mixture of hair, well beaten, 

 and incorporated several days before using. 



Grafting Composition is made of three parts of resin, 

 three parts of bees' wax, and one part of tallow, melted to- 

 gether ; when well mixed, it is poured into water and 

 worked up, like shoemaker's wax, by hand. This composi- 

 tion may be spread, while in a melted state, pretty thickly, 

 with a brush, on very strong brown paper. This paper is 

 to be cut into small strips of suitable size, and is very 

 quickly applied. In cool weather, it may be instantly 

 warmed with the breath, so as to become adhesive. 



SECTION X. OF FRUITFULNESS. 



Artificial Means by which Fruitfulne.ss is induced. 

 Whatever operates in repressing the too vigorous growth 

 of the tree, by obstructing the free circulation of its sap or 

 juices, and by causing it to accumulate and become con- 

 centrated, has a tendency to render the tree fruitful. 



While a tree is yet young and flexible, and exercised by 

 every moving breath of wind, its pores continue open, and 

 the sap is rapidly and uninterruptedly diffused ; its whole 

 juices are expended in the formation of leaf buds. A 

 highly-manured soil, a warm temperature and humid at- 

 mosphere, are alike unfavorable to the production of flower 

 buds, by promoting excessive vigor in the tree. But as 

 they grow older, their consistence becomes changed and 

 4* 



