FARMERS' REGISTER 



697 



contact ; so that the ascendhig eap of the stalk 

 will pass freely into the sap wood ofthe scion, and 

 the descendinn: sap of the scion, which has been 

 elaborated, and prepared in the leaves, and which 

 descends through the inner bark, to pass freely 

 into the inner bark of ihe stock; this elaborated 

 sap soon harden into wood, and covers and heals 

 the wound. 



There are a great many nnodes of grafting prac- 

 tised by professional nurserymen, but we will con- 

 fine ourselves to one or two best adapted to the 

 practice of the nursery and orchard. 



Cleft graflmg — is most readily performed and 

 mostly practised. Cut off the stalk horizontally, 

 make the cleft through the centre, in this insert the 

 wedge, the scion is tlien formed in the shape of a 

 wedge, taking precaution to make the inner side 

 somewhat thinner than the outside, so that the 

 bark of the stock will press on the outer bark of 

 the scion : shoulder it neatly, and insert carefully; 

 the shoulder is made to retain the graft in its pro- 

 per place, and the better to enable a union to 

 take place ; for it will really be perceived that it 

 has the additional chance of uniting on the face 

 ofthe stalk. This process can be used in heading 

 large trees in the orchard, as well as on small 

 stocks in the nurser3\ 



Whip grafting is generally performed on small 

 nursery stocks, and is universally practised in the 

 nurseries of Great Britain, France and Germany. 

 It is performed by cutting ofl' the stock at the 

 place selected, in a neat sloping manner, then 

 with a sharp budding knife from the smooth part, 

 next to the lowest part ol' the cut, shave ofi' the 

 bark and wood two inchesin length, beginning 

 at the bottom by drawing the heel of the knife 

 gently in the bark and gradually cutting deeper 

 into the wood until the blade is drawn out at the 

 top. The graft is prepared by cutting it in a slop- 

 ing manner in a reverse position, so that when 

 placed on the cut ofthe stalk it forms a neat splice. 

 When the graft is set, it is to be bound securely 

 with a stripe of cloth on which has been spread 

 some grafting wax. The French and German 

 mode differs from the English in their never paring 

 off' more of the stocks, however large, than the 

 width of the scion requires. 



Grafting under the surface of the ground is very 

 convenient to grow young trees in the nursery ; 

 the stocks are cut off a ^cw inches below the sur- 

 face and the scions inserted. It is particularly 

 adapted to the plum, cherry and apricot; they 

 can all be easily propagated in this way. 



Planting. — The planting of fi-uit trees beins 

 for utility, every precaution should be used to for- 

 ward the intended purpose by the best means. 

 Care should be taken to give them a vigorous 

 growth when young, in order to form a strong 

 healthy subject at a future period. It Iteing our 

 object to cultivate the most approved kinds, it 

 should be borne in mind that they have attained 

 their high reputation in most instances from the 

 greatest care and the best culture. The cherry 

 and apple, when planted too deep, lose their ori- 

 ginal roots, and are forced to throw out new roots 

 from the stem near the earth's surface. The pear 

 strikes root deeper for its support, and is most 

 thrifty and productive in good soil with moist 

 clayey subsoil, and if in a situation not too much 

 exposed will generally produce good crops of fruit. 

 The plura requires rich and rather moist soil to 



insure good crops of large fruit ; it is however very 

 productive if planted with care in yards and along 

 lanes. The apricot requires a location similar to 

 the plum, and will thrive wherever the plum can 

 be cultivated with success. The plum and apri- 

 cots being thin skinned fruits are more subject to 

 the attacks of the curculio than others ; to prevent 

 which, plant in yards and along lanes where the 

 ground is rich and trampled, and where pigs and 

 poultry can have free access in picking up the 

 waste fruit. Where this cannot conveniently be 

 done, they should be well shaken once or twice 

 during the week, and cast to the hogs. The 

 best location for the quince is a rich loam where it 

 is continually moist, hence it is that it usually 

 flourishes well by the sides of drains. A good 

 loamy subsoil is ofthe greatest importance to the 

 full developcmcnt of its fruit. 



If possible, particular care should be taken in 

 selecting a suitable situation for the orchard, a good 

 level piece of land, if it be so located as to lie 

 a little descending to the southeast is to be preler- 

 ed, as in that situation it will receive the warming 

 influence of the sun in the spring, so congenial to 

 the growth and maturing of the fruit. The quali- 

 ty of the soil is the next important consideration ; 

 a rich mellow loam, with a clayey subsoil, will be 

 found to answer most kinds of fruit. When 

 obliged to plant trees on a sandy or gravelly soil, 

 we would advise the experiment to be made, of 

 incorporatingdifch or pond mud, with a small por- 

 tion of lime or leached ashes, or clay in less quan- 

 tit}' with a suitable portion of compost manure 

 spread on to the depth of several inches, would 

 be sufficient when apple and pear trees are to be 

 cultivated. When cherry or plum trees are to be 

 grown, it is advised to cast on a sufficient quantity 

 of rich loam, &c. For plums, when it is practica- 

 ble, perhaps a third part of marsh or pond mud 

 may be used with advantage to make the soil of 

 the proper depth. Where peach trees only are to 

 be planted, a light dressing of compost, consisting 

 of stable manure, ashes, and loam, will answer the 

 intended purpose. 



An error which has been practised here to some 

 extent, is that of planting too far apart, thereby 

 exposing the trees to the scorching rays of the 

 summer sun, the Iruit will always receive suffici- 

 ent warmth for ripening, if pruned regularly. 

 From 16 to IS feet is the best distance that can be 

 adopted in this latitude, they will be more durable 

 and thrifty, and when fully grown will shade the 

 ground, and thus protect the trunk. 



January and February are the proper months in 

 this climate for transplanting fruit trees ; the holes 

 should be made from 3 to 4 feet in diameter and 2 

 feet in depth. If the land is somewhat exhausted 

 fill up with good rich loam, or mould from the 

 woods, a footor more in depth — then place the tree 

 in the centre of the hole, taking care to spread the 

 roots well, and not to place it more than two inches 

 deeper than it stood in the nursery — fill in the 

 finest and best mould on the roots — the assistant 

 gently shaking the tree to enable the fine mould to 

 run in among the roots and fibres. As the earth 

 rises about the free, gently tread in until all is 

 level. Fix in a good stake, and tie it fast to the 

 tree at the top, crossing the bandage between the 

 tree and stake, to prevent the bark from beinc 

 rubbed. It is advisable to have some straw put 

 around the trees the first season, to prevent ova- 



