THE NURSERY. [MARCH 



the stock ; first slitting the bark or rind from the top downwards 

 clean through to the firm wood, two inches or two and a half in 

 length ; and having a small thin wedge of iron or wood, open there- 

 with the rind of the stock a little at the top of the slit, by intro- 

 ducing it gently down betwixt the wood and rind, far enough to make 

 way for admitting the graft; then drawing it out, insert the scion 

 with the cut sloped side towards and close to the wood of the stock, 

 slipping it neatly down the length of its cut part, resting the shoulder 

 thereof, prepared as above, upon the top of the stock, and in this 

 manner you may put four, five, or more grafts, as may seem conve- 

 nient, into each stock, and bind them round with strong bass. 



When the grafts are all thus fixed, you must immediately apply a 

 good quantity of well-wrought clay, bringing it close about the stock 

 and grafts, observing to raise it at least an inch above the top of the 

 stock in a rounding manner, so as to throw the wet quickly off, and 

 prevent its lodging or getting into the work, which would ruin all. 



This method of grafting is sometimes called shoulder-grafting, and 

 grafting in the rind, and was much more in practice formerly than 

 at present ; for, although the grafts take freely, they are liable to be 

 blown out by strong winds after they have made large shoots, which 

 has frequently happened after three or four years' growth, so that 

 when this method is practised, the evil must be remedied by tying 

 some firm sticks to the body of the stock or branch that is grafted, 

 to which the young shoots must be tied, or they must be made fast 

 to some convenient support that will answer the same end ; or even 

 tying them to one another, should the grafts take on opposite sides of 

 the stock, will answer a good purpose. 



This kind of grafting may be performed a week or ten days later 

 than the other methods; for it will prove most successful if done 

 when the sap begins to be in active motion, as then the bark of the 

 stock will separate from the wood more freely to admit the graft. 



When the scions are well taken, treat them as directed under the 

 head Cleft-grafting. 



FOURTH, BY SIDE-GRAFTING. 



This is done by inserting grafts into the sides of the branches 

 without heading them down, and may be practised upon trees to fill 

 up any vacancy, or for variety, to have several sorts of fruit on the 

 same tree. 



It is performed thus : fix upon such parts of the branches where 

 wood is wanting to furnish the head or any part of the tree ; there 

 slope off the bark and a little of the wood, and cut the lower end 

 of the graft to fit the part as near as possible; then join it to the 

 branch, first tongueing both as in whip-grafting, tie them with bass, 

 and clay them over. 



FIFTH, BY ROOT-GRAFTING. 



This is done by whip-grafting scions upon pieces of root turned up 

 about half an inch thick, either as the roots remain or separated, and 

 immediately replanted. 



