Notes and Gleanings. 307 



their respective merits can only be obtained by direct comparison ; and, now 

 that all these may be seen growing side by side in the society's garden, any one 

 may examine them for himself, and draw his own conclusions." 



On Grafting during Winter. — An article contained in the number for 

 August, 1859, of the "Journal of the Societe Imperialeet Centraled'Horticulture" 

 (Pai'is), entitled " Note upon Winter Grafting," has reminded us of a proceeding 

 already indicated, and practised by Landais in the sixteenth century, but which 

 still remains without application, along with many other excellent inventions and 

 happy improvements. Now, to advise grafting in December and January, when 

 flie sap is inert, and in an absolute state of repose, appears at first sight to be a 

 paradox, in fact, perfect nonsense. However, the practice given here is a com- 

 plete contradiction to the theory, as is proved by several perfectly successful exper- 

 iments, many of which, thoroughly conclusive in their character, are m.entioned 

 in the article in question, by M. Laure of Toulon, a member of the society. It 

 is the kind known as cleft-grafting, which has been the subject of experiment ; 

 and we here give some of tiie numerous examples mentioned in support of the 

 practice. 



In December, 1836, M. Flory grafted five wild stocks in clefts, and, after the 

 operation, they certainly presented any thing but a prom.ising appearance. In 

 the January following, there happened to be some very severe frost ; however, in 

 March, the buds of these five grafts commenced to swell, and became developed ; 

 while those of other grafts which had been operated upon in the usual season 

 had scarcely shown any signs of vitality. They were completely successful, not 

 one failure occurring out of the five operated upon. The following year, the 

 same gardener performed a similar operation, at the same season, up n nearly a 

 hundred subjects ; and this experiment was also attended with complete success. 



The author of the communication declares that he has himself practised cleft- 

 grafting during the winter for more than twenty years, and has invariably seen 

 his operations followed by success so undoubted as to satisfy any one that this 

 is a most valuable and useful discovery. In answer to the objection, that, in the 

 North, grafting during the winter would not be successful, he affirms that Flory 

 and he have operated out of doors in seven and eight degrees of frost ; that in De- 

 cember, 1857, M. Flory, after an extremely severe frost, grafted twenty-five black 

 cherries, and did not plant them until after the operation ; and that, with the 

 exception of one only, the experiment was perfectly successful. 



It appeared to us that it would be very useful to reproduce a short summary 

 of this excellent note, in order that by so doing we might call the attention of 

 the numerous cultivators of fruit-trees to this interesting subject. Should the 

 practice be found worthy of general adoption, it will render them immense ser- 

 vice, by enabling them to perform their operations during the dead season, 

 when time hangs heavily on their hands, and leaving them at liberty to employ 

 in some other manner the time usually devoted to grafting in the ordinary sea- 

 son. — VerschaffeW s Illustration Horticole. 



