GRAFTING AND NURSERIES. 26l 



No. 146 Ag. Exp. St., Berkeley, Cal. They tend to render 

 the operation more practical, but it is always rather delicate 

 of execution. The operation is performed in the following 

 manner (Figs. 148-150) : 



" The bud is excised with a sharp grafting knife from the 

 shoot of the variety to be multiplied. This is done when 

 the shoot reaches its complete development, 

 that is to say when the length is at least a 

 foot. The buds of the apex of the shoot 

 cannot be used, as they are not as vigorous 

 as those of the base and mean part. We 

 may also, in July, excise buds from 

 secondary shoots developed after pinching. 

 The bud must be herbaceous and well 

 formed. 



" The shield is about I to 1% inches in 

 length. A layer of cellular tissue I to 

 2 mms. in thickness is preserved under 

 the bark to prevent the bud from drying. 

 This wood must be preserved under the 

 whole shield ; without this precaution the 

 desiccation of the bark would be inevitable. Fig. 148 



The length and width of the shield vary ' repar s\1?d f thc 

 according to the size of the stock. 



" A certain number of scions can be prepared and used 

 during a few hours, being careful to preserve them in damp 

 moss, or better, in water. The leaves are cut at the middle 

 of a petiole. 



" The stock is a shoot of the year, well developed, and in a 

 suitable position. 



" On a herbaceous internode at the base of a bud a longi- 

 tudinal incision is made i l /2 to 2 inches in length, the two 

 sides of the incision being raised with the haft of the graft- 

 ing knife. 



" The scion or shield is then inserted in the slit of the 

 stock. This is done by inserting first one side of the shield 

 under the bark of the stock, then raising the bark with the 

 haft of the grafting-knife and inserting the other side in the 

 same way. This operation is rendered very easy by slightly 

 bending the shoot inwards. The graft is bound with wood 

 or cotton. 



" The knitting requires from ten to twelve days, and may 

 be recognized by the fresh state of the scion and the union 



