THE SEASON OF GRAFTING. 367 



deprive it of all its valuable fibres. This formation 

 of a system of roots corresponding with the top, 

 must of course begin when the stock is young, to 

 be perfect in its character ; for when it has reached 

 a mature age, the insertion of a scion could not 

 alter the peculiarities of those roots already in ex- 

 istence, although it would be a guide in the forma- 

 tion of those to be made. 



The season of grafting varies according to the 

 plan to be used. There are those adapted to all 

 times in the year. As a general rule, those per- 

 formed w^ith ripe, dry wood should be done while 

 the tree is dormant, or while the leaves are off, and 

 after danger of severe frosts is past ; and that with 

 green wood, while the tree has such upon it during 

 the summer. The knife to be used in the operation 

 should be sharp, for the same reasons as were given 

 in the chapter on pruning. If the scion is cut with 

 a dull instrument, and the tissue torn and lacerated, 

 the chances of its healing or joining with the main 

 stock are much lessened. In all operations in gar- 

 dening in which a knife is used, it is absolutely 

 requisite that it should have a keen edge. 



No tree of full size should have its whole head 

 cut off and grafted at once, as it is too great a shock 

 and disturbs disastrously the balance which nature 

 keeps between the stem and the root. The result 

 of such treatment would be likely to be an enormous 

 growth, which if not killed the first winter, is 



