130 GRAFT AGE. 



girdle, and they are sharpened at both ends. One end is 

 inserted under the bark below the girdle and the other 

 above it. The cions are placed close together entirely 

 around the tree. The two ends are held firmly in place by 

 tying, and the line of union is then waxed over. This opera- 

 tion is said to be necessary to keep up the connection be- 

 tween the root and the top, but this is in most cases 

 an error, unless the girdle extends into the wood. 

 A good dressing of wax or clay, held on with stout 

 bandages, is usually much better than the grafting. 

 This method of grafting is sometimes, but errone- 

 ously, called inarching. A complete bark girdle 

 made during the spring or early summer will usually 

 heal over readily if it is well bandaged ; and in 

 some cases even the bandage is not necessary. 



Herbaceous-grafting. In the preceding pages, 

 the discussions have had to do with cions which are 

 dormant or at least well hardened, and with stocks 

 which contain more or less hard woody substance. 

 But herbaceous shoots can be grafted with ease. 

 All such plants as geraniums, begonias, coleuses 

 and chrysanthemums can be made to bear two 

 or more varieties upon the same individual. Al- 

 .'36. most any style of grafting can be employed, but 

 bark- the veneer, cleft and saddle-grafts are preferred. 



oots should be chosen for stocks which are rather 

 firm, or in the condition for making good cuttings. 

 The cions should be in a similar condition, and they may 

 be taken from the tips of branches or made of a section of 

 a branch. The union should be bound snugly with raffia, 

 and the plant set in a propagating-frame (Fig. 47 illustrates 

 a good one), where it must be kept close for a few days. It 

 is not necessary, in most cases, to use wax, and upon some 

 tender stocks the wax is injurious. Moss may be bound 

 about the graft, but unless the union is first thoroughly cov- 

 ered by the bandage, roots may start into the moss and the 

 parts may fail to unite. The growing shoots of shrubs and 



