Gi-afting the Vine. 



339 



plant receives during the winter and spring months ; and in the spring and 

 summer it sends forth a Httle spike of bloom, which rapidly exhausts the 

 bulbous portion of the plant. You can see it daily dwindle ; and, by the 

 time the seed ripens, it is a mere shrivelled stem. It again draws 

 nourishment from the air and moisture, and performs year after year the 

 same routine : they seldom or never shed the leaves. The flowers are 

 quite brilliant, and look much like an orchid. 



" This family of plants is well worthy the attention of the botanist, the 

 amateur, and the florist ; and I predict that ere long they will become quite 

 well known and highly prized. Surely they are as handsome in appearance 

 as any of our foliage plants ; and, if they receive the same care that these 

 choice exotics do, they will repay well the trouble. Nothing could be finer 

 or more attractive than one of these magnificent six-foot gigantic air-plants 

 in a conservator}-." 



GRAFTING THE VINE. 



When the vines have grown two or three or even six feet of young wood, 

 cut off the vines a foot, two feet, or even six feet, from the ground, accord- 



No. I, graft. No. 2, stock. No. 3, a wedge-shaped piece cut out to correspond with that of the graft. 



ing to the age and size of the vine ; smooth the stock with a sharp knife ; 



