36 



and pear. Scions are often set immediately 

 on being cat, in the months of March and 

 April. 



In cutting scions, we take, from the extrem- 

 ity of the limb of a tree, that part of it which 

 grew the preceding season, and we keep the 

 shoot or twig entire, till wanted for use. Any 

 thing of this description will answer for scions, 

 but the best scions are cut from the upright 

 topmost limbs of the central parts of a healthy 

 tree. Young nursery trees often furnish ex- 

 cellent scions. Grafts of unhealthy trees 

 ought always to be avoided. 



In all the modes of grafting, it is necessary 

 to protect the joint of the stock and graft from 

 the weather, till the two have grown together. 

 For this purpose, in scion-grafting, two com- 

 positions are used, one is called grafting-clay, 

 the other, grafting-wax. 



Good grafting-clay is made, by mixing two 

 parts of clay with one part of fresh horse 

 dung, adding a little hair as in mortar. It 

 should be prepared some days before using, 

 and the more it is worked over the better. 

 Grafting-wax is composed of bees- wax, ros- 

 in and tallow. Downing recommends three 

 parts of bees-wax, three parts of rosin, and two 



