62 NATURE TEACHING 



tion so that it fits on to the bark of the stock. Fix the 

 scion in place by means of grafting-wax, so moulding 

 and pressing it around the joints and cut surfaces as to 

 fulfil the double purpose of holding the scion in position 

 and protecting it from drying up. This mode of graft- 

 ing is adopted when it is desired to graft on to a thick 

 branch or the stem of a tree which has had all its 

 branches removed ; several scions may be put on one 

 stock. 



Apple, pear, apricot, or other fruit trees available, are 

 suggested for grafting experiments. 



Budding: For practice the pupil should work upon 

 rose plants. Examine the tree which is to furnish the 

 bud-wood, cut off two or three vigorous branches with 

 well-developed side leaf-buds, and carry these to the 

 tree which is to be the stock. Select a place on a young 

 but fairly woody branch of the stock, and make a "]~- 

 shaped incision in the bark, with the downward cut about 

 an inch and the cross cut about three-quarters of an inch 

 in length (see Fig. 7). Raise the bark gently from the 

 wood, taking care not to tear it from the branch the 

 flattened end of the budding knife should be used for this 

 purpose. The stock being now prepared, choose a good 

 bud on the branches already selected, and cut off the leaf 

 which accompanies it, leaving only a very short piece of 

 the leaf-stalk ; then with a firm clean cut remove the bud, 

 together with a thin slice of the wood beneath. The 

 whole piece so removed, including bud, bark, and wood, 

 should be about three-quarters of an inch long and one 

 quarter wide. Insert the bud thus prepared under the 

 bark of the stock, proceeding carefully so as not to tear 



