March.] THE NURSERY. 953 



This done, clay the whole over near an inch thick on every side, 

 from an inch below the bottom of the graft to the same above the 

 top of the stock, finishing the coat of clay in a longish oval form, 

 closing it effectually in every part, and tapering it up to the cion to 

 prevent the wind, sun, or rain reaching the grafted parts till the 

 union is effected; observing to examine it now and then; and if any 

 part falls off, or cracks appear, such must be immediately repaired 

 with fresh clay. 



Expert nursery-gardeners generally perform whip-grafting with 

 four cuts; two in heading and slitting the stock, and the same in 

 sloping and turning the graft, inserting it immediately, being fol- 

 lowed by one or two persons to tie and clay them. 



This sort of grafting may also be performed, if necessary, upon 

 strong young shoots of any bearing tree, if intended to alter the 

 kind of fruit, or have more than one sort on the same tree. 



By the middle or latter end of May, the grafts will be well united 

 with the stocks, as will be evident by their shooting; the clay may 

 then be taken off', but suffer the bandages to remain on till the 

 united parts seem to swell, and be too much confined thereby. 



Second, by Cleft- Grafting. 



This is called cleft-grafting because the stock being too large 

 for whip-grafting, is cleft or slit down the middle for the reception 

 of the cion, and is performed upon stocks from about one to two 

 inches diameter, and may be practised with success where the 

 rind of the stock is not too thick, whereby the inner bark of the 

 cion will be prevented from closely joining that of the stock, 

 which junction is absolutely necessary to form a complete union 

 of the parts. 



First, with a strong knife cut off' the head of the stock; or if the 

 stock is very large it may be headed with a small saw. 



This done, fix upon a smooth part just below where headed, and 

 on the opposite side to that cut away part of the stock, about an 

 inch and a half, in a sloping manner upwards, so as the crown of the 

 stock may not be more than about, half an inch broad, which slope 

 and crown are to be cut smooth and neat. Then prepare your grafts 

 or cions in the following manner: observe to cut them into proper 

 lengths of about six inches, with several eyes or buds to each: 

 then take your sharpest knife, and pare away the bark and some 

 of the wood at the lower end of the graft in a sloping manner, 

 about an inch and a half or near two inches in length on opposite 

 sides, making it have a wedge-like shape; but let that edge, which 

 is to be placed outwards in the stock, be left thicker than the 

 other, and with the rind continued thereon. The graft being pie- 

 pared, take your strong knife or chisel, and place it on the middle 

 of the stock, not across, but contrary wavs, to the sloped part, and 

 with a small mallet, strike the knife or chisel into the stock, 

 observing to cleave it no farther than what is necessary to admit the 

 graft readily; then place the knife, or some small instrument, a 

 little way into the cleft, at the sloped part of the stock, to keep it 



