AND CATTLE DOCTOR. 253 



be cut like a wedge, with the outside thicker than the 

 inner. 



The rind of the scion must exactly join the rind 

 of the stock. The slit should be opened by a wedge 

 of hard wood ; the scion should then be gently put in 

 its place and the stock closed. After this, the whole 

 must be daubed round closely with a mortar made of 

 a mixture of loom and fresh horse-dung, so as com- 

 pletely to exclude the access of air ; and this mortar 

 must be surrounded with a winding of tow, or old 

 cloths, to prevent the rains from washing it away. 

 The scion should be covered nearly to the top with 

 this mortar ; and it should also extend two or three 

 inches downwards round the stock. 



In place of this mortar, Forsyth recommends a 

 plaster made of pitch, turpentine, and beeswax, which 

 is in like manner to be daubed closely round so as to 

 exclude the external air. The mortar, however, if 

 well made, and well applied, will answer very well. 

 It should be composed of fine loam, not clay ; because 

 clay will contract and crack open, when dried. 



Cleft-grafting may be successfully performed on 

 trees, where the fibre of the outer bark runs round ; 

 such as the peach, plumb, cherry, &c., by first cut- 

 ting through that bark, with a knife, at the place 

 where the cleft is to be made, and in the same direc- 

 tion it may be expected to run ; when the rest of the 

 operation may be as easily performed as on other 

 trees. 



Whip-grafting is performed by cutting off the head 

 of the stock sloping; then making a notch in the slope, 

 from the upper part downward, a little more than 

 half an inch deep, to receive the scion, which must be 

 cut with a slope upward, and a slit made in this like 

 a tongue, which is to be inserted into a slit made in a 

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