t 484 ] 



be brought down to the ground arrangement may be made for 

 taking pots of soil to the branch and keeping the layers moist 

 high up. 



7$i. Inarching, or grafting by approach, is the common- 

 est' method practised in this country. It consists in bringing 

 a second year's seedling or plant from cutting obtained from 

 an easily propagated and wild or inferior plant, in a pot, pro- 

 perly rooted, to the tree from which the scion is to be 

 obtained, and placing it in such a position (on a platform, or 

 within the embrace of a bamboo split at the top, for instance), 

 that the portion of the tree of the superior kind which it is 

 desired to propagate, can be brought into direct contact with 

 it. A thin slice is then taken off one side of the seedling 

 or wild stock about 2 or 3 inches in length, and a corres- 

 ponding slice is taken off the branch of the tree that is to 

 be used as scion, the two branches being of the same diame- 

 ter. The cut surfaces being placed together, it is seen that the 

 inner barks on both sides of the cuts join, the two being firmly 

 tied with soft cloth. The graft is not waxed but is kept moist 

 by water constantly dropping on to it. When union has 

 taken place (which it does completely after several months) the 

 scion is severed very carefully from the parent tree and the 

 young plant is ready for removing. It is not easy obtaining 

 successful grafts by this method. 



782. Propagation from cuttings is possible in the case of 

 some plants and trees. Well ripened branches taken from 

 near the ground, at a joint, i.e., where one branch joins another, 

 make the best cuttings. There should be about 3 joints in 

 length cut close beneath a bud and inserted about one-third 

 of their length in fine sandy soil or brick-dust. In dry season, 

 in Lower Bengal, when it is inconvenient to keep the soil 

 watered, and when the cuttings are known to send out shoots 

 freely, e. g., in the case of sugar-cane, rhea and cassava, plant- 

 ing may be done horizontally 3" or 4" under the surface of the 

 soil. Cuttings should be planted as fresh as possible, though 



