METHODS OF GRAFTING 



249 



322. Cutting-grafting, as its name implies, is a union 

 of a graft with a cutting, a special case of which is root 

 grafting already described (305). Plants hard to propa- 

 gate by cuttings are often grafted upon cuttings of other 

 varieties or related species which root readily. When 

 the work is done outdoors in spring the grafts are usually 

 ready to have the stocks removed by fall, the cuttings 

 having rooted ; and when done in fall under glass they are 

 ready by spring. The nurse plant may be removed little 

 by little or all at once, according to 



the case in hand. A modification 

 of the method is to let the cion ex- 

 tend downward into wet moss or a 

 bottle of water (Fig. 199*). This is 

 used where stock and cion are more 

 or less uncongenial or are slow to 

 unite. Various birches, magnolias 

 and mulberries are handled in this 

 way. 



323. Grafting tubes (like laboratory test 

 tubes), about 5^ inches long and one 

 inch wide have been used with good re- 

 sults for propagating shrubs and trees at 

 the Swedish Agricultural College. Each 

 graft-cutting is covered with a tube, the 

 lower end of which is pressed into damp 

 moss. Any convenient method of grafting 

 is used (whip, splice, etc). Grafting wax 



was abandoned because as good results were secured without it. 

 The plan gave good results in sand beds, flower pots and in open 

 air. Among the subjects which did well out of doors were rose, 

 maple, alder, birch, beech, fir, gooseberry, currant. 



324. Herbaceous grafting, mainly by means of veneer, 

 saddle and cleft methods, is very easy. Any plant with 

 semi-succulent stems, such as coleus, chrysanthemum, 

 geranium and the shrub-like begonias, can be grafted. 

 Both stocks and cions should have passed the watery 

 stage and become as firm as for the making of cuttings. 

 After adjusting the two parts the graft should be bound 

 with raffia, placed in a propagating frame and kept in a 



FIG. 199 BOTTLE 

 GRAFTING 



Used for difficult subjects. 



