FRUIT-GARDENING. 27 



GRAFTING-CEMENT. 



Another way of making grafting-wax is to melt equal parts 

 of resin, beeswax, and tallow together. If it be so hard that 

 it cannot be worked with the hands, melt it again and add 

 more tallow. To make it harder, add more resin. This will 

 be found an excellent coating for wounds made by cutting off 

 limbs of trees. After a tree is pruned, melt the wax in a me- 

 tallic vessel, but not have it burning hot ; then apply it in a 

 liquid state to the wounds with a swab or paint brush. Some 

 persons pour the composition into cold water, and as it hard- 

 ens take it out and work it up with the hands until it attains 

 a due consistence. It may be spread on brown paper, which 

 being cut into strips of suitable size, is quickly applied, and 

 in cool weather may be warmed by the breath, so as to become 

 adhesive. 



Grafting-clay may be made in the following manner : Take 

 equal parts of fresh horse manure, free from litter, cow manure, 

 and good stiff clay ; add to this a portion of hair, and work it 

 together in the same manner as masons mix their mortar. It 

 should be well beaten and incorporated several days before it 

 is required to be used. 



PROCURING IMPROVED VARIETIES OF FRUIT. 



In planting seed for the purpose of procuring improved 

 varieties, care should be taken not only that the seed be 

 selected from the finest existing kinds, but also that the most 

 handsome, the largest, and the most perfectly ripened speci- 

 mens should be those that supply the seed. A seedling plant 

 will always partake more or less of the character of its parent, 

 the qualities of which are concentrated in the embryo, when 

 it has arrived at full maturity. As this subject is discussed in 



