50 HORTICULTURE LEOT. in 



the stock just through the bark. (4) The bud in- 

 serted in the slit and kept in position with soft 

 ligatures. (5) The growth from the bud in spring, 

 after the stock has been cut down at the mark across 

 it. In that way a young crab stock may be con- 

 verted into an apple, or a quince into a pear. The 

 stock is shown cut down, to economise space, but the 

 top ought to be left intact when the bud is inserted 

 and not cut back till the spring. (6) Shows how 

 briar stocks are converted into roses ; but the buds 

 are shown inserted too far from the main stem. They 

 ought to be quite close to it, even closer than the one 

 on the left; the one on the right is distinctly too 

 far up the branch, and is intended to show in that 

 respect how the work should not be done. They are 

 tied around when inserted in July, but the branch 

 is not cut back till the following March. 



The chief points to remember are : 1. The sap 

 must be free ; 2. The root action good ; 3. The work 

 done cleanly; 4. The binding not too tight; and 

 5. The stock or stem not cut back the same season. 



Grafting 1 . By grafting, young fruitful heads may 

 be put on old shoulders ; and if the trees are healthy, 

 those which bear worthless fruits are made to produce 

 superior by this process. Seedling fruit trees are 

 generally worthless, and should be grafted when 

 young with good well-known sorts. It is much the 

 best plan however to buy young trees, and to improve 

 old by grafting. 



The work of grafting must be done in the spring 

 when the sap is rising ; but it is very important that 

 the grafts, known as scions, be taken off before the 

 buds swell, and kept fresh in moist earth. 



There are different methods of grafting, two both 

 simple and useful being shown in the illustrations, 

 Fig. 9. 



