36 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



consequence of receiving many scions from my friends, 

 which, after bearing, I engrafted, and the succeeding 

 fruit uniformly partook, in some degree, of the quali- 

 ties of the former, even in their disposition to bear 

 annually or biennally." Mr. C. has ascertained the 

 fact that early and late apples, by being grafted on 

 the same tree, improved in size and flavour more 

 than if but one kind grew on a tree. It should be 

 observed, as a rule, never to employ suckers from 

 old trees as stocks for grafts, or buds, as they have 

 a constant tendency to generate suckers, and there- 

 by injure the growth of the trees. 



MODES OF GRAFTING. 



The mode of performing this operation is varied, 

 according to the size and situation of the stock to be 

 employed. The small stocks in the nursery, if of 

 such kind as produce an erect strong stem, are usual- 

 ly grafted within or near the surface of the earth, 

 in which case, the mould is brought round them in 

 the form of a little hillock, and nothing more is re- 

 quired. When the stock is naturally inclined to 

 branch out horizontally, the preferable mode is to 

 insert the bud or graft high enough to form a hand- 

 some head or top. In this mode of operating, it is 

 necessary to employ some kind of composition or 

 covering in order to secure from injury by the 

 weather, or influence of the sun. The following is 

 commonly used : A quantity of clay or stiff loam is 

 to be worked fine and mixed with some chopped 

 hay or coarse horse-dung. It should be prepared a 

 day or two before hand, and be beat up with a little 

 water as needed. This should be applied closely 

 round the parts in the form of a collar, or ball, ta- 

 pering at both ends, the upper end being applied 

 closely to the graft, and the under to the stock. A 

 good substitute for the above is a composition of 

 turpentine, bees-wax and rosin melted together; if 



