260 THE NURSERY. [MARCH 



The best time for grafting, in the Middle States, is generally from 

 the twentieth of March to the tenth of April, a few days earlier or 

 later, as vegetation may happen to be in an advanced or retarded 

 state, which sometimes makes a difference of ten or twelve days. 



Grafting is always most successful when done at the period that 

 the buds of your stocks are swelled, so as to be nearly ready to burst 

 into leaf; this is the time in which the greatest success may be ex- 

 pected, and should be very particularly attended to; however, if done 

 a few days before, or even when the stocks display several expanded 

 leaves, there may be a tolerably good hit, provided the operation is 

 judiciously performed. 



Your scions or grafts must be taken off about a month or three 

 weeks before this crisis, or so soon as you are able to perceive the 

 least disposition in their buds to swell ; for, if not cut off in proper 

 time, the grafts will not take kindly, nor will they shoot so vigor- 

 ously. 



The proper sorts to begin with, in respect to fruit-trees, are cher- 

 ries and plums, and, if you please, peaches, nectarines, and apricots ; 

 but the latter kinds are generally propagated by budding or inocula- 

 tion. Pears, filberts, and apples may be grafted at the same time; 

 but the latter may be deferred for ten days longer than either of the 

 former, provided the scions were taken off in due time ; pears will 

 also agree with tolerably late grafting. 



Before I proceed to the methods of grafting, it will first be neces- 

 sary to mention what stocks are proper to graft the different kinds of 

 fruit upon ; for instance, apples should be grafted upon stocks raised 

 from the kernels of the same kind of fruit ; that is, any kind of ap- 

 ples ; for the grafts or buds of these trees will not take well upon 

 any other stocks. 



It should be observed that for dwarf apple-trees for walls oV espa- 

 liers, or for small standards, they should generally be grafted upon 

 codlin apple stocks, raised either from suckers from the root, or by 

 cuttings or layers ; for the stocks raised from these are never so lux- 

 uriant in growth as those of the larger growing apple-trees ; and 

 consequently trees grafted upon such stocks will be slower in growth, 

 and can more easily be kept within due compass, and will answer the 

 purpose for dwarfs or espaliers, &c., much better than those grafted 

 on larger growing kinds. Or, if required to have them of still more 

 dwarfish growth for small gardens, you may use stocks of the Dutch 

 paradise apple and Siberian crab, &c. 



But for the general supply of apple stocks for common standards 

 and large espalier- trees, they are raised principally from the seed of 

 any sort of apples or wild crabs. 



Pears are generally grafted or budded upon stocks raised also from 

 kernels of any of their own kinds of fruits, or occasionally upon 

 stocks raised from suckers ; they likewise are very commonly grafted 

 upon quince stocks, whereby to have trees of more moderate growths, 

 to form dwarfs ; and which are generally raised by seed, cuttings, 

 layers, or suckers ; and the pears grafted or budded upon these stocks 

 are very proper for walls or espaliers, and occasionally for small 

 standards. Sometimes also pears are grafted upon white thorn 



