44 FRUIT GARDEN. 



of these expedients is to retard the descending sap, and 

 thus promote the formation of radicles, or young roots. 

 This is also aided by bending the branch upward from the 

 point at which the roots are wanted ; and the whole branch, 

 except a few buds at the extremity, is covered with soil. 

 The seasons best fitted for these operations are early in 

 spring and about midsummer, that is before the sap begins 

 to flow, and after it has completely ascended. One whole 

 summer, sometimes two summers, must elapse before the 

 layers can be expected to be fully rooted, or ready to be 

 taken off. 



Propagation by Grafting. — "When a shoot or young 

 branch of one tree is inserted into the stem or branch of 

 another, and, by the influence of vegetation, is made to 

 coalesce with it, the process is termed grafting. In this 

 manner apple and pear-trees are commonly propagated ; 

 plum and cherry-trees are sometimes also grafted, but these 

 last are most generally propagated by budding. Our 

 attention must here be directed to the stocks into which the 

 shoots or cions, as they are called, are inserted ; to the 

 cions themselves, and to the mechanical ojoerations em- 

 ployed in grafting. 



The stocks should be of the same genus to which the 

 graft belongs, or, at least, of close affinity in natural family. 

 The following are the principal kinds of stocks, including, 

 by anticipation, such as are used in budding. For apples, 

 seedlings of the crab apple, layers of the doucin or paradise, 

 and of the codlins, with cuttings of the bur-knot varieties. 

 For pears, seedlings of the common and wilding poar ; with 

 seedlings or layers of quince. For plums, seedlings of any 

 of the common sorts, particularly the Brussels and the 

 Brompton ; also the Bullace plum. For cherries, seed- 

 lings of the small black cherry or gean, Prunus Avium ; 



