Grafting the Vine. 



71 



flow of sap which is so requisite to the heahh of the plant; and, to avoid 

 this, we have practised a sort of bud -grafting, as shown in the cut {a, a bud- 

 graft, or scion, and /', the stock). In the preparation of this graft, as much 

 of the wood as possible should be cut out, and as little as possible from 

 the stock : this not only admits the easy bending of the graft by tying 

 down to fit its cut shape in the stock, but, by cutting out the old wood, leaves 

 little else than the thin layers of the last year's alburnum, or new wood, to 

 come in contact with each other, as these are the parts that form a true 

 union and growth. The position on the stock where we prefer to insert 

 this graft is just above the angle formed by the vine at the bottom of the 

 rafter, because we get from that point up a new cane, which insures the 

 fruit from the bottom to as high up as we choose to fruit the vine. The 



graft should be inserted when the vine is in leaf, and tied down with mat- 

 ting so that the edges of the bark nicely fit each other, so that no grafting- 

 wax can get between the barks. Then place or tie over the bud a handful 

 of moss or cotton-wadding, and keep it moist : this assists the bud to swell. 

 Watch the bud ; and, when it is discovered that the bud is swelling, go to 

 the top of the vine, and rub out or ofT some of its shoots, or spurs, so called, 

 and continue this by degrees as the bud is developing itself. When the 

 bud, or graft, has pushed out an inch or two long, the shoots, or branches, of 

 the parent plant may be dismembered of two-thirds of its branches. This 

 will give still more vigor to the graft; and in a few days it will be seen that 

 the graft is growing freely : then take the knife, and cut away the old vine 

 to within a foot of the graft-growth, and tie in the latter by degrees, or it will 

 be broken off to that portion of the old vine which is left for that purpose ; 

 and train afterwards straight as a line up under the rafters, and the great 

 work is completed. The matting with wliich the graft has been tied in 

 should be slackened by degrees as the young shoot grows : it should not 

 be taken off that season, but kept pretty firmly to its position, or the flowing 



