GRA 



GRA 



GRADIENTS. On railways, the 

 ascending planes. 



GRADUATED. Marked into reg- 

 ular divisions ; increasing in equal 

 measures. 



GRADUATOR. A vessel or con- 

 trivance for increasing the extent of 

 the surface of evaporation or oxida- 

 tion, as by passing fermenting beer 

 over chips contained in a large tub 

 through which air passes, wliereby 

 the alcohol becomes oxidized, and 

 converted into acetic acid. The pro- 

 cess is called graduation. 



GRAFTING. The propagation of 

 one variety of plant on the stock or 

 root of another. The small branch 

 or scion of the improved kind usually 

 contains three buds, but sometimes 

 less ; it should be selected from a 

 healthy bearing branch, and be of the 

 last year's growth, only three or four 

 buds from the extremity. It should 

 also be rather behind the stock in 

 respect to vegetation, and for this 

 purpose may be kept in moist sand or 

 moss for a few days. When insert- 

 ed, it should be kept bound for four 

 weeks, to be well set, and afterward 

 partially loosened, until it is so firm 

 as not to be blown down by winds. 

 When the scions have taken well, 

 some of the natural buds of the stock 

 should be taken off, but in an old 

 stock it is not well to remove them 

 altogether until the next year. Ex- 

 cept when the scion is grafted on the 

 root, one or more stock buds should 

 be left until it has fairly started, and 

 can consume all the sap rising into 

 the stock. The stock influences the 

 grafted tree in no respect except 

 durability, size, and early maturity. 

 For farther particulars, see the Fruiis. 



The following methods of grafting 

 are from Judge Buel and Professor 

 Lindley ; "April is the general sea- 

 son for grafting, though it is some- 

 times performed in March, and some- 

 times omitted till May. The grafts 

 should, however, be cut before the 

 buds begin to swell. The scions are 

 most likely to live if inserted when 

 the sap is circulating freely, for then 

 the wounds soonest heal. 



" The materials and implements 

 330 



required for grafting are, 1. A sharp 

 knife to cut and pare the graft and 

 stalk ; 2. A strong knife and mallet 

 to split the larger stalks, and a small 

 hard wood wedge to put into the cleft 

 while the scion is fitted to its place ; 

 3. Strips of bass matting, or other 

 soft string, to tie around the stalk 

 and graft ; and, 4. Some good graft- 

 ing-wax or prepared clay, to cover 

 over the worked part. If clay is used, 

 it should be previously well beaten, 

 and a portion of fresh horse-dung 

 mixed with it during the operation. 

 A grafting-wax, which we have used ' 

 for years with success, is made by 

 mixing and melting together four 

 parts of rosin, two parts of tallow, 

 and one part of bees' wax ; the whole 

 to be afterward incorporated and 

 worked by the hand, like shoema- 

 ker's wax. This may be applied 

 over the grafted part in a thin layer, 

 or first spread on a cloth and then 

 applied in strips of proper size. The 

 wax or clay is applied, 1. To pre- 

 vent the flowing of the sap from the 

 wounds ; 2. The too sudden drying 

 of the wood ; and, 3. The introduc- 

 tion of rain water into the wound or 

 cleft. It is evident, therefore, that 

 whatever sort of coating is adopted, 

 it should be applied without delay, 

 and so as effectually to exclude air 

 and water. 



" The object to be aimed at in the 

 process of grafting, is to bring the 

 inner bark and the sap-wood of the 

 stalk and scion in nice contact, so 

 that the ascending sap of the stalk 

 will pass freely into the sap-wood of 

 the scion, and the descending sap of 

 the scion, which has been elaborated 

 and prepared in the leaves, and which 

 descends through the inner bark, to 

 pass freely into the inner bark of the 

 stalk. This elaborated sap soon hard- 

 ens into wood, and covers and heals 

 the wound. 



" There are more than forty differ- 

 ent modes of grafting. We shall only 

 speak of those which are best adapted 

 to the practice of the orchard and 

 garden. 



" Cleft-grafting {Fig. 1, b) is most 

 practised upon strong stalks, or ia 



