GRAFTING THE GKAPE. 



67 



by spring it is ready to grow. It should not be uncovered 

 until the cold freezing weather is over. It is necessary 

 that a box or flower-pot should be placed immediately 



Fig. 21. 



over the graft, so that when it is uncovered in spring, the 

 graft will not be disturbed by digging down to uncover it ; 

 and it also protects the graft from being injured by water 

 running down it and getting in between the graft and the 

 stock. I have sometimes used grafting wax for covering 

 the junction between the stock and graft, but having suc- 

 ceeded just as well without, I abandoned its use ; besides, 

 I have sometimes noticed that the wax injured the graft 

 when it came in contact with it. Grafting clay may be 

 employed with safety, but I do not consider it necessary to 

 use anything but the bass-matt, and then put in the soil. 

 The twine or bass strings will usually become so weakened 

 during the winter that they will give away when the stock 

 commences to grow. One-year-old wood should be used 

 for grafts, and only that which is firm and well ripened. 

 If the wood is very short-jointed, the grafts may be of two 

 buds instead of one, but usually one is sufficient. 



Grafts inserted in the fall in this manner will make 

 almost as strong a growth as the original vine would have 



