Propagation of Plants 133 



a week to ten days, or when the string begins to be over- 

 grown, it should be cut and removed. The next step 

 is to force the bud into growth. This may be done im- 

 mediately, as in "force budding," or left until the fol- 

 lowing spring ; when the top of the stock is cut off just 

 above the inserted bud. This causes all the buds below 

 to swell and many to form shoots. All the new sprouts 

 except the one from the inserted bud should be rubbed 

 off when they attain three to five inches in length. This 

 causes the new shoot to grow very rapidly. Many per- 

 sons leave a foot of stock stem to protect the young 

 shoot. As soon as the latter is thoroughly established, 

 the stock is pruned close down, as shown in Fig. 80J. 

 The final result is that we have a stem of one variety 

 growing on a common seedling stock. One may prop- 

 agate millions of Elberta, or other variety of peach 

 trees in this way, and every tree will bear peaches just 

 like the parent variety. The great value of propaga- 

 tion by budding is obvious. Choice varieties of peaches, 

 plums and apricots are propagated by budding. It is 

 often used for pears, apples, roses, and many other 

 kinds of plants. Special methods of budding are used for 

 pecans and other hardwood trees. 



198. Graftage. In propagation by grafting, two parts 

 are used, as in budding. One we call a stock, or root, and 

 the other the scion, the latter coming from the plant to 

 be propagated. The scion usually consists of a short 

 piece of stem. In making the cleft-graft, the stock is 

 split open smoothly, as shown in Fig. 81 A. The lower 

 end of the scion having been trimmed to a wedge is 

 inserted as shown at A. Care should be taken to 

 see that the cambium layer of stock and scion coincide, 

 at least on one side. (Fig. 81C.) The graft is now wrapped 



