130 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Crown Grafting is similar to cleft grafting. It is practised in 

 spring, as soon as the bark is easily separated from the wood, the 

 stock being headed down several weeks before the time of graft- 

 ing. The scions should be cut with a flat, sloping cut on one 

 side ; but instead of splitting the stock the bark is divided from 

 the top downwards an inch or more, and lifted as in budding. 

 The scion is then inserted under the bark. A small implement of 

 wood or ivory, made in the form of the scion, can be used to 

 advantage in preparing a place to insert the scion much more 

 easily than by lifting the bark with a budding knife, and with less 

 fear of bursting the bark, or injuring a tender scion. In another 

 form of crown grafting, the scion is cut half way through and the 

 wood removed, leaving a square shoulder at the top near a well- 

 developed bud. A corresponding strip of bark is removed to 

 admit the scion. The two parts are then fitted together and 

 bound with waxed cloth, and the top of the stock as well as that 

 of the scions is then covered with wax to prevent evaporation. 



Saddle Grafting. — By this method the stock is cut, with a 

 slant on two sides into the form of a wedge, while the scion is cut 

 just the reverse, so that when in position it stands astride of the 

 stock. But it takes more time than other forms of grafting. The 

 rhododendron is now largely grafted in this way. 



Tongue or Whip Grafting. — This method is most commonly used 

 in nurseries, for grafting fruit frees, where seedling stocks from 

 one to three years old are used. The stock and scion are nearly 

 of a size. The scion is prepared with a long sloping cut, and the 

 stock in the same manner. A small cleft or split is also made 

 about midway of the cut portion of both the stock and scion, 

 forming a tongue on each. These tougues are inserted into the 

 cleft in the other part, thus forming what is called a tongue or 

 splice graft. They are then bound with waxed cloth, heeled in, 

 in boxes about a foot iu depth, in finely sifted sand or loam, and 

 kept in a moist cellar until spring, when they are put in a warm 

 place until they show signs of starting. They are then planted in 

 nursery rows, covering the graft to the first eye. 



Root Grafting. — Many plants, that are difficult to grow from 

 cuttings, can be successfully grafted on pieces of roots, either 

 their own or those of another plant. Many woody plants, of 

 which we have no allied species, can be grafted on pieces of 

 their own roots. 



