72 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS. 



1. Contact of cambiums; which may be considerable in area or but 

 little, according to whether the plant "buds or grafts easily," or otherwise, 

 as ascertained by experience. 2. Protection from entrance of air to cause 

 drying of the contact-areas and of the added part; such protection being 

 complete or partial according to disposition of the plant to produce con- 

 nective tissue rapidly or slowly ; also according to the degree of activity or 

 dormancy of the sap flow at the time and the length of time before in- 

 creased activity thereof is to be expected. 



The chief difference between buds and grafts is that dormant buds are 

 expected to "unite" very quickly (although shoot-growth may be postponed 

 for months) while grafts unite more slowly and must maintain life longer 

 before moisture can enter their tissues from the "stock" into which they 

 are inserted. For these reasons the bud is used when the stock is in active 

 sap-flow ; the graft may be able to wait a considerable period and is there- 

 fore employed when both scion and stock are dormant, though preferably 

 inserted toward the end of the dormant period. In California, however, 

 few plants are as dormant (or as low in sap flow) as in wintry climates. 

 Even after leaves have fallen, the tissues are less dry; therefore grafting 

 is possible from the fall of the leaf until the bud-swelling indicates the 

 approach of a new season's growth. Besides the scion itself loses moisture 

 more slowly in the damp air of the "rainy season" than in air "frozen dry" 

 by low temperatures. 



The method of protection from too free or continued air-access is de- 

 termined by the facts just cited. "Buds" are usually held in sufficient 

 contact and sufficiently protected by wrapping firmly, but not too tightly, 

 with soft twine, a narrow strip of cloth or of raffia to be loosened in a 

 few days if the bud retains a natural color or plumpness which shows that 

 it has "taken" or has made its union properly. "Grafts," however, are to 

 be firmly held by a tie, if the stock itself does not make a strong grip upon 

 it, and all injuries to the bark by the insertion and all cut surfaces both of 

 graft and stock covered with grafting wax, which accomplishes practically 

 a complete exclusion of the air. 



Another difference between budding and grafting is in requisite condi- 

 tion of the "stock"; in the former the bark must lift or slip freely the 

 condition a boy requires to make a whistle; in the latter this condition is 

 neither requisite nor desirable. 



If these essentials are secured one may have wide liberty of methods in 

 applying them and that is the reason why individuals have so many pre- 

 ferred ways and why all nations of the earth have methods which are 

 characteristic and sometimes widely different from each other, and yet all 

 nations are good grafters in a horticultural sense. 



Methods of Budding and Grafting. The scope of this book does 

 not admit of detailed descriptions and discussion of methods. The reader 

 can find interesting suggestions in horticultural books in all languages. A 



