39 



half an inch to two inches in diameter, are 

 usually worked over in this way. The whole 

 top of a large tree may thus he headed back 

 and grafted, so as to become even more valu- 

 able than one that was grafted in the nursery. 

 The operation is easily described. Saw 

 off the stock crosswise; then pare the end 

 smoothly with a knife. Next, split it down 

 about two inches, with a thin sharp knife, 

 driven with a hammer. A narrow wedge is 

 now driven into, the middle of the cleft, so as 

 to keep the top of it open about a quarter of an 

 inch. Cut the scion, (which should not contain 

 more than three or four buds,) at the lower end, 

 in the form of a wedge, about one and a half 

 inches long, contriving to have a bud* or eye 

 at the top of the part so formed, to ensure 

 greater success. The scion is next to be insert- 

 ed on one side of the stock, and fitted nicely 

 into the cleft, so that the inner bark of the 

 outer side of the scion shall exactly meet that 

 of the stock. On large stocks, two scions are 

 thus inserted, one on each side ; and, when a 

 stock is extremely large, two clefts may be 

 made, and four scions inserted. These will be 



* After the scion is set, this bud should be on the outer side of 

 it, and about a quarter of aa inch below the top of the stock. 



