246 PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING, ETC. 



have been noticed in regard to other trees, such as the ash and the 

 holly. 



The uses of grafting in addition to those of all the other modes of 

 increasing plants by extension are 



1. The propagation of varieties or species, which are not increased 

 freely by any other mode ; such as pears, apples, and other fruit-trees, 

 oaks, and other forest-trees, and many species of shrubs. 



2. The acceleration of the fructification of plants, more especially of 

 trees and shrubs, which are naturally a number of years before they 

 come into flower. For example, a seedling apple, if grafted the second 

 year on the extremities of the branches of a full-grown apple-tree, or 

 even on a stock or young tree of five or six years' growth, will show 

 flowers the third or fourth year ; whereas, had it remained on its own 

 root, it would probably not have come into flower for ten or even 

 twenty years. To obtain the same result with climbers that flower 

 only at their extremities, the tips of the shoots of seedlings are taken 

 off and grafted near the root ; and when these have extended an in- 

 convenient length, the tips are again taken off and regrafted ; and after 

 the operation has been performed several times, the plant at last pro- 

 duces flowers in a much shorter time than it otherwise would have 

 done, and in a comparatively limited space. 



3. To increase the vigour or the hardiness of delicate species or 

 varieties, by grafting them on robust stocks, such as the Mexican oaks 

 on the common oak, the China roses on the common dog-rose, the 

 double yellow rose on the China or musk-rose, the Frontignan Muscat, 

 Golden Champion, or other grapes, on the Syrian, Hamburg, Sweet- 

 water, or Muscadine. 



4. To dwarf or diminish the bulk of robust species, as in grafting 

 the pear on the quince or medlar, the apple on the doucin or paradise 

 stock, the cherry on the perfumed cherry, &c. 



5. To increase the fruitfulness and precocity of trees. The effects 

 produced upon the growth and produce of a tree by grafting, Knight 

 observes, " are similar to those which occur when the descent of the 

 sap is impeded by a ligature, or by the destruction of a circle of bark. 

 The disposition in young trees to produce and nourish blossom-buds 

 and fruit is increased by this apparent obstruction of the descending 

 sap ; and the fruit of such young trees ripens, I think, somewhat earlier 

 than upon other young trees of the same age which grow upon stocks 

 of their own species ; but the growth and vigour of the tree, and its 

 power to nourish a succession of heavy crops, are diminished, appa- 

 rently by the stagnation in the branches and stock of a portion of that 

 sap, which in a tree growing upon its own stem, or upon a stock of its 

 own species, would descend to nourish and promote the extension of 

 the roots." 



6. To preserve varieties from degenerating, which are found to do 

 so when propagated by cuttings or layers, such as certain kinds of 

 roses and camellias. 



7. By choosing a stock suitable to the soil, to produce trees in situa- 

 tions where they could not be grown if on their own roots ; for example 



